Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES - Spring of Hope
by Orbital Frame Productions
Summary: The truth is something I've fought for, beyond anything else. However, what if this truth was so terrible, it stole any and all hope the people had. Was the cost too great this time? To have the world collapse and it's entirely my fault? Maybe. [Aigis/OC]
1. Prologue: First Step into Darkness

Title: Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES – Spring of Hope  
Rating: M for Mature (Violence, Instances of Harsh Language, Religious Themes and Sexual Themes)  
Genres: Action/Adventure/Humour/Romance/Mystery

Author's Note: This is a nice way to kick off the new account; continuing the story I started under the old one; albeit under a slightly expanded name. Because this year was a FEStival for SMT/Persona fans, and I intend to celebrate it as much as I can (I take full responsibility for any horrible puns I may make throughout my writing career here, I apologize for that). And I hope you enjoy this ride as much as I will writing it… I'll try to keep the chapters short this time, no promises though.

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Prologue: First Step into Darkness

To be thrown into a situation that you know you're way in over your head yet keep fighting despite everything working against you. Can that be called bravery or stupidity? Maybe, depending on your point of view, it can be called either of these things. Me; I didn't know what it was. I had to sacrifice a lot to get this far… We all did. But that didn't stop us from doing what we needed to do. Every truth we've uncovered has shaken us to the core, but we kept going, because I believed in the truth more than anyone. But what if this truth was so terrible, it completely shattered any hope the people had? Was the cost too great this time? To have society crumble from within and it's entirely my fault? Maybe… I don't know anymore. All I knew was that everyone needed hope, in a time that there really wasn't any, and the woman I love needed my help more than ever.

At first, I didn't know who she was; and she didn't know me. There was something though, nagging at me, telling me that I've met her before. But I wasn't thinking of that when I first saw her on the beaches of Yakushima. Haha, oh those were fun times. I'm amazed I could still remember it considering I wasn't paying attention to anything but her, but I can remember what Junpei said after seeing my reaction.

"_Wow, she's even captivated our Leader! We've hit the jackpot!"_

After Junpei and Akihiko tried and failed to strike a conversation with her, it was up to me to salvage the situation. I managed to spark a reaction and after some strange words, she ran off into the forest. I chased after her, until I found her hiding near the huge tree. She suddenly hugged me, much to my surprise, and the words she said next would take my destiny in a new direction.

"_I have been searching for you. My highest priority is to be with you!"_

For whatever reason, I instantly took a liking to her. My tone of voice softens when I speak to her, I'm more relaxed when she's around and I trust her with my life. The fact that she pushed me out of the way and took the hit intended for me a couple times certainly had a lot to do with that. The rest of the group noticed it. I mean, they're my friends; how could they not notice the slight changes in personality while she's there? They teased me about it, like all teenagers would do. Hell, even Shinji took a few shots at me. They saw something that we weren't aware of, but we didn't understand it at the time, we weren't aware of our feelings, you know; that old cliché… When I learned the truth of our shared past, it was almost too late… I… I… I almost lost her. I learned a sad and bitter truth that day.

Throughout every tragedy that struck, she was the one helping me keep it together and focused on what I had to do, even helping me solve one of the mysteries we encountered. When that incident on the bridge happened, I fell into despair; I lost all hope. There was nothing anyone could do to bring me out of it. When I saw her again, alive and well, I broke down right there; I was so relieved to see her. She asked me to do something; wanting to spare me the pain of what's to come. Doing so would have cost me something I would never want to give up, and I wondered if it was worth it. And when the night came to make that choice, I was tempted to do something that went against my moral compass… I didn't do it. The next month was a whirlwind of emotions as we prepared for the final battle. I tried to make sense of the emotions I felt while she and I took every opportunity to spend time with each other, seeing as if it may be the last chance we had. We were pushed in the right direction when our friends… No, our family, decided to play matchmaker… Hahaha, damn it Yukari! Never underestimate her, I should have known that by now, but apparently, my memory is not as great as I claim it to be. One of the happiest moments of my life was when I gathered the courage to confess after realising what those strange emotions were, with their help. Seeing that she loved me in return gave me hope again. And now she and everyone I know and love has had their hope stolen from them, by a force who would like nothing more than to control us, under the guise of peace and security. They stole our hope, and obscured the truth, and now I aimed to give that back to them, and reveal everything! Even if the foe before me was all powerful!

"You shall regret the day you ever raised your sword against me, demon!"

You are probably wondering what events transpired that caused this, aren't you? Well then, let's rewind the clock to around, say, um… 9 months, give or take. And show you how one night can change everything.

* * *

_9 Months Ago…_

I was on the train bound for Iwatodai Station. I sat there on the cold, metal seat, gazing out the window as I took in the city before me.

(Has it really been 13 years…?)

I've been to Iwatodai several times in my youth, and it has changed somewhat during my time away. There were more buildings than last time… And I saw that they repaired the bridge.

(There's no way I'm going back there.)

My right hand subconsciously went to the item hanging around my neck. A symbol of my past, reminding me to never forget what that person did for me that night. I was brought out of my memories by a sudden ringing coming from my pocket. I sighed; knowing who it was on the other end and readied myself for a chewing out.

"Hello?" I asked, tentatively.

"You are late." A familiar voice replied.

"_Gomen'nasai_." I say nervously, standing up. "There was an accident. It delayed my train as well."

"Oh well, I suppose there's not a lot that can be done about it now." The voice said back, sighing beforehand. "Where are you now?"

"I was just passing by… That place." I tried not to mention the bridge. I was thankful they realised that I didn't want to talk about it and didn't ask me to elaborate, "I should be at the train station in about four minutes."

"…Are you okay? I know this city holds some terrible memories for you."

"To be honest, Sophie, I don't really know… I'll grin and bear it though."

"You don't have to."

"It's been 13 years. I can't let it haunt me forever." A silence passed over us. I wasn't sure whether to hang up or not, because we were getting dangerously close to unstable territory here. I then heard a familiar music track playing. I couldn't stop myself from speaking.

"Hold on, what's that noise in the background?" I asked.

"Oh, Becky's just playing on your 3DS. She's playing _999_."

(Oh yeah, that's right. I let her borrow it for the trip on the plane.)

In the background, I could hear the familiar voice of an irritated female.

"Man, between the puzzles and the mystery plot, I don't know how the hell you got through this without getting an aneurysm!"

"I'm just used to it." I said to her sincerely. The PA turned on and announced that the train was about to pull into the station. "Alright, I'm about to arrive at the station. I'll get there as fast as I can."

"OK, we'll see you there… Be careful, Ross."

"I always am." And with that, I hung up. Oh, I completely forgot! I haven't even told you my name yet. My name's Ross McHardy. I'm a 17 year old student. I've spent most of my life at an orphanage in my home country of Scotland. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, not like the horror stories I heard from the other kids. That's probably because I had a good friend there, but that's for another chapter of this long story. A month beforehand, Sophie, Becky and I received an offer to transfer to a Japanese school for an entire year. We jumped at the opportunity immediately. No matter what happened here in my past, I love Japan. I have a great deal of respect for what many people here have accomplished in the artistic fields: novels, anime, manga, video games. Many people inspired me during my childhood, so I wanted to come back here now that I'm older and get a new perspective on what could be considered a second home to me. It was when I was on the train that I realised where I was headed and I started to worry a little. With my friends there though, it shouldn't be that tough to get through it, right? The train stopped at the platform and the doors opened up. I breathed in the fresh air here and took a look around. Nobody was around, figures, it was almost midnight after all. I watched the big clock in front of me as the seconds hand moves closer to the 12… And suddenly the world became dark as all technology switched off and everything was engulfed in a sickish green hue.

(Huh…?)

I was surprisingly unfazed by the sudden change in environment. I didn't know why at the time, but this all seemed familiar and somewhat normal to me. Letting out a steady breath, I walked down the street, following the pamphlet I had to the dorm I was to stay at. As I walked through the silent streets of Iwatodai, I noticed some peculiar things. Like the red water, which I mistook for blood at first, and the coffins that lined the streets. Even the moon which normally shone bright in the sky was the same green colour as the environment around me.

(I've seen plenty of strange things in my life, but man is this just weird.)

I eventually arrived at the dorm, and it looked just as it did in the photo. Glad I'm able to finally relax; I took a grip of the handle and pushed the door open. It was difficult seeing far into the room. I knew the blackout had to have affected this place too. I was about to call out to someone but someone beat me to it.

"You're late." A young voice said, "I've been waiting a long time for you."

I turned to the voice and saw a pale looking boy wearing striped pajamas. He was smiling up at me, like he was meeting a long lost friend.

(He's been waiting for me…?)

"_Gomen'nasai_." I apologised, "The train was late. I couldn't help it."

"You're here now. That's all that matters." The boy responded, before snapping his fingers. "Now if you want to proceed. Please sign your name there." He pointed out the red folder on the table, which seemed to open up on its own, to a single sheet of paper. I looked down on it, giving it a quick look over. Seeing my look of confusion, the boy elaborated on the contents of said paper.

"It's a contract. Don't worry, all it says is that you'll take full responsibility for your actions. You know… The usual stuff."

(I suppose that's normal. I mean, teenagers living by themselves; gotta have some insurance.)

I took the pen sitting beside the folder and moved it toward the paper. Before signing it, something on the paper caught my eye. It was a single sentence that stood out to me.

'**I chooseth this fate of mine own free will.'**

It was a strangely worded sentence compared to the rest of the contract, but I paid it no mind. I neatly signed my name on the paper. The boy took the folder, looked it over and then closed it.

"No one can escape time." He said in the same tone as before, "It delivers us all to the same end. You can't plug your ears and cover your eyes." He held up the folder and it disappeared right before my eyes. He slowly stepped back into the shadows.

"And so it begins…"

With those cryptic words, he disappeared from my sight. Still reeling from the strange events, I stood there stupefied. I eventually decided to see if someone was still awake, but once again, someone was quicker than I.

"Who's there!?" I turned to the source of the voice and saw a lone female, looking at me from the edge of the shadows. The pink sweater jacket she wore stood out from the darkness, and her frightened face was easily noticeable. I tried to move closer but I saw something unsettling. Her hand was hovering over a gun holster. This set off alarm bells in my head; a frightened person with a weapon isn't usually good news. A few seconds passed, with the both of us just staring at each other. I saw her hand twitch and then she pulled the gun out of its holster. I made to dive out of the way, but before things could escalate, another voice rang out.

"Takeba, wait!" It was like time froze for a few moments as we both stared at the person who just arrived. In the few tense seconds that her appearance brought, the lights flickered back on.

(Phew… The power's back, I was starting to feel claustrophobic in that darkness.)

I was able to get a good look to the two women in the room now. The women with the gun looked around my age; her brown hair was similarly coloured to mine, though it was a couple shades lighter, she had brown eyes, wore a pick sweater jacket, a black miniskirt, a red ribbon and had a heart shaped choker around her neck. The women who interrupted the tense situation had similar clothes to the other, with some differences; such as having a white blouse, the red ribbon was a little bigger and she had black knee-high boots. She also had red hair and red eyes, which was a rare sight for me. The red haired woman walked over to me and the woman named Takeba.

"I didn't think you would arrive so late." She said to me, giving me a curious look.

"_Gomen_… There was an accident." I said nervously, still having not recovered from the tension from a few minutes ago.

"There's no need to apologise. We're not mad." She reassured me, "My name is Mitsuru Kirijo. I'm one of the students who live in this dorm." Takeba looked from Mitsuru to me.

"Who's he?" She asked Mitsuru.

"He's a transfer student. He, along with the other two, will be staying here for the next year." Mitsuru turned from her to look at me again, "This is Yukari Takeba. She'll be a junior this spring, just like you."

Yukari looked nervous. It was obvious that what she nearly did weighed on her mind.

"…Hey" She said. I thought I would try to calm her down. She was jumpy and being antagonistic wouldn't help a thing. Not that I would be capable of being like that, even before learning of our connection to each other. I'm too kind hearted.

"It's nice to meet you." I said, initially trying not to make eye contact; I was too shy to do so. Yukari was surprised to hear me say that.

"Uh, y-yeah." She calmed down after a few seconds and smiled when our eyes met, "Nice to meet you too."

"It's getting late, so you should get some rest. I'm sure you want to see your friends before you turn in though." Mitsuru said, in a matter of fact tone. I didn't respond, instead opting to nod my head. Yukari told me to follow her up the stairs. Before we got there though, Mitsuru called out to me.

"Your Japanese is very good for a foreigner." She commented.

"My Dad was Japanese. I guess that's why I picked it up so easily." I responded, not looking in her direction, and then followed Yukari up the stairs.

On the second floor, sitting around a table near some vending machines were the two other people who came along for the trip, who looked happy to see that I arrived safely. The red haired, brown eyed woman was Becky Ingils, who was playing on my 3DS and was getting surprisingly close to one of the endings of the game.

(Hmm… I'm curious. I wonder if…)

"Say, Becky, what doors did you take? Just curious." I asked, trying not to make her suspicious. Looking back down to the screens, she answered concisely.

"3 and 5. I'm almost done with the first door."

(Oh…! She's going to get the… Well, have fun trying to sleep tonight.)

"Why do you look so nervous? Is there something wrong with her choices?" The blonde haired, blue eyed Sophie Mathers asked, seeing the look of shock and horror on my face.

"Oh, n-no. There's n-nothing wrong at all… I'm just surprised, that's all."

(I am a terrible liar.)

Surprisingly, she didn't call me out on that. I assumed it was because she was curious about what was going to happen. I was sort of correct there, as she told me later that she was fully aware of what was going to happen and wanted to see Becky's reaction to it… _How_ she knew about it was something she did not tell me however. Though there was an amused gleam in her eyes; she knows a lot more than she likes to let on at times.

"If you say so." She said, in an even tone that didn't betray her emotions.

We made light conversation for a few minutes until a sudden yawn burst from within me. I was more fatigued than I realised.

"Tired already? That's not like you." Becky said, looking up from the game for a few seconds.

"I knew I should have slept on the plane. _Watashi wa bakada_." I murmured to myself, rubbing my eyes.

"We won't keep you then." Sophie said, "Get some rest. The year ahead will be a long one." Her eyes subtly shifted to the 3DS. Becky and Yukari didn't catch this, but I definitely did. Call this little skill of mine a by-product of my time in the orphanage. I got up from the chair and turned to Yukari, who was watching us with a curious expression. She shook out of it when she saw that I was up on my feet and told me that my room was down at the end of the hall. I followed her there, well out of hearing distance from the others.

"Well, this is it." She announced, "Pretty easy to remember, huh? Since it's right at the end of the hall. Oh, yeah, make sure you don't lose your key or you'll never hear the end of it." She warned me. I nodded in appreciation for the advice.

"I'll keep it in mind." I acknowledged.

"So, any questions before I go?" She asked. I thought of many questions I could have asked, and only a few I knew she would be able to answer. I eventually went with something that was bugging me since it happened.

"Yeah, what exactly was that contract for?"

"Huh…? What contract?" Yukari asked in kind, looking really confused.

(Something is extremely wrong here… Am I just seeing things?)

I tapped my chin as I thought about that kid again. Was it possible that he was just an illusion? Perhaps, I thought at the time.

"Um, can I ask you something? I managed to catch, and looked at her.

"Sure, go ahead."

"On your way from the station, was everything okay?" She asked, looking really worried. It was here that I realised that she knew something that I didn't, but I didn't want to scare her off. So I decided to be a little sneaky to see if I could bait her into giving more information.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I…" She caught herself and stopped her sentence there, "Never mind. It seems like you're alright."

(She says this with a smile. She's clever; it's tough to get a read on what she's thinking. This might be more difficult than I thought… Oh well, there's always the next opportunity.)

"WHAT THE FUCK!?" A scream echoed down the hall, startling both Yukari and I. We both looked down the hall, then at each other, our eyes wide.

"…What was that?" Yukari asked.

"… The stuff of nightmares." I answered, feeling a shiver go through my body.

"… Do I want to know what it was?"

"…Something to do with an axe." That was all I said on the matter, "I'll be heading off to sleep now. Is there anything else?"

"Um, no." She shook her head, and then smiled, "I guess I better get going." She started walking down the hall before stopping and turning back to me. "…I'm sure you still have lots of questions, but let's save them for some other time, okay? Good night."

I nodded, and she turned back around and walked down the hall, leaving me alone. I stood there for a few seconds before looking at the door to the room that I would be staying in for a year. I reached for the handle and opened the door. Groping for the light switch, I eventually managed to illuminate the room and saw that all of my stuff ended up getting here okay. Knowing that I would have to unpack all that stuff eventually but not feeling like doing it at that moment, I threw my bag down near the bed, turned the lights off and walked to the bed, letting myself fall on my back. I stared up at the ceiling as it finally sunk in.

(I'm here for a year, huh…?)

* * *

Author's Note: Well, what do you think of the updated Prologue? A little short but it means less editing work for me (and fewer mistakes too). I want to know something, can you guys and gals peg what's going to become important later after reading through the chapter? I'm not going to say what you should look for, otherwise that will defeat the purpose of the question. I want to see what you think, so leave a Review telling me what you believe will become important; your thoughts on the chapter, anything I can improve, any mistakes and so on. See you in the next chapter, and yes, I will keep to a schedule this time.


	2. Chapter 1: An Encounter With Death

~Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES – Spring of Hope~

Author's Note: I really don't know what to say here, other than shit's about to go down. I think the story will speak for itself here, because saying too much will kind of spoil things. Right, I want to give a shout out to _'Cstan'_ and _'TheModernGamer'_ for following and favouring this story. Recognise your names from the last account; I hope you're enjoying this and I hope everyone else will enjoy as well.

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Chapter 1: An Encounter With Death

Even though I got to sleep at a weird time, I woke up feeling more energised than ever. I got ready for school bouncing around like a little kid. I'm a little goofy when I'm alone; I like to dance and hum some songs, in some cases I sing. I was softly singing the opening to Evangelion to myself while messing with my hair, looking into the mirror in front of me.

"…_Dakedo itsuka kizuku deshou sono senaka ni wa. Haruka mirai mezasu tame no hane ga aru koto…"_

I was interrupted from my recounting of the lyrics by a knocking on my door.

"It's Yukari. Are you awake?" I could hear Yukari's voice, muffled by the closed door. I took one last look in the mirror before walking to the door and opening it. Yukari walked into the room, looking just as energised as I was.

"Good morning. Did you sleep okay?" She asked with a cheerful smile.

"Yeah, all things considered." I replied with a small smile of my own. That's a rarity for me when speaking to people I don't know; I don't usually smile when I talk to strangers, so it shocked me when I found myself smiling back.

"Mitsuru-senpei asked me to take you to school." Yukari started to explain, "It's getting late so… Are you ready to go?" She looked a little nervous, but I didn't think on it. Instead, my hand went up to where something should be and I found it wasn't there.

(Oh crap! Where did I put it!?)

I looked around panicky until I saw what I was looking for.

(Of course… I took it off while I was getting changed.)

I walked over to the desk and grabbed the makeshift necklace. It was a small piece of porcelain metal with a thin piece of rope. It may have looked unimportant to the average person, and may have given me strange looks for having this as a necklace, but that piece of metal was very important to me. I smiled and put it on around my neck; I turned to Yukari, and I could see that she was looking straight at the object in question.

"That's certainly an odd necklace." She stated, "I was wondering what that was since last night."

I walked out of the room with Yukari following behind.

"It's a long story." I said; wanting to tell her what it was but not sure if we had the time. We headed out the door of the empty dormitory. I assumed that everyone was already at the school.

"We'll be getting a train anyways." She countered, "So tell me, please."

I took in a breath before explaining the origins of said necklace.

"Around 13 years ago, I was caught up in an accident at the Moonlight Bridge. I can't remember everything about it, it's really fuzzy. One of the things I do know is that I was the only survivor. I was told once I awoke in the hospital that I was found at the scene grasping that piece of metal in my right hand. I was allowed to keep it and at the orphanage I was staying at, my mentor helped me make a necklace out of it. I wanted to keep it by my side, to know that I couldn't lose one of my last connections to my past."

"You didn't know where it came from?"

"Nope. I have no clue… What I do know is that the person who had this originally saved my life, and I have no way to thank them…"

"I'm sure you'll find them someday."

"Maybe…" I shook my head, forcing those memories out.

"Is that the only thing left from the past?" She asked me curiously. I had to wonder why she was so curious about it, but I eventually decided to just ignore it. I didn't mind talking to people about myself, but it's the memories that resurface that don't make me do it all that often.

"No." I answered immediately, "There is one other thing that I always keep with me when I can."

"Oh, what is it?"

"It's a ring. Passed down from my mother to me when she died…" I didn't say anymore. Yukari seemed to understand and changed the topic of discussion. We made light conversation about the school and how nervous I was, and oh boy was I nervous. I've never been to a Japanese school before that day, so you can probably imagine what was going through my head while I was on the train.

(Oh crap… This is really it. My first day in a new school… I sure hope I don't screw this up.)

Yukari could clearly see how I was feeling, more than what my words could tell her.

"Hey, relax." She told me in a soothing tone, "You'll do fine."

That was one of the many examples of Yukari's kindness towards me. At first, I thought she wanted to make up for the previous night, but after what happened at Yakushima, I slowly started to realise that every act of kindness from her was genuine. I'm not even sure if she realised what she was doing. I nodded my head, leaving us in an awkward silence until we got near the school. We walked along the busy path in silence until we went up a very, very long staircase.

(I… Hate… Those… Things…)

We stopped in front of the gate, and I was thankful that I was given an opportunity to catch my breath. I looked upon the huge building and gasped at the sheer size of it all. Seeing my shock, Yukari giggled.

"Welcome to Gekkoukan High School. Hope you like it."

~Spring of Hope~

The school day passed by quickly, and I was getting ready to go. Surprisingly, there weren't any problems, though I was surprised to see that Yukari was also in the same class as me. I felt glad about this, but I didn't really know why. I packed the last of my books into the small bag I bought for myself and stood up.

(I need to find that ring tonight. It feels weird not having it on… I hope it got here okay.)

I started to walk to the door with a content smile until someone got in my way.

"Sup, dude?" This guy with a goatee who was wearing a hat said, "How's it going?"

(Ignoring the fact he just asked me the same thing twice.)

"It's going good, I have to say." I responded, "Um… Who are you exactly?"

"Me? I'm Junpei Iori, nice to meet ya." Junpei began to explain, "I transferred here when I was in eighth grade. I know how tough it is bein' the new kid. So I just wanted to say 'hey'. Heh, see what a nice guy I am?"

Before I was able to respond, I was able to see Yukari walk into the room from the corner of my eye. She walked up to me and Junpei.

"Hey, it's Yuka-tan!" Junpei said once he spotted her, "I didn't think we'd be in the same class again?"

Yukari looked so annoyed at him, and I still get a chuckle out of her irritation. Her tone of voice just captures what she's feeling perfectly.

"At it again, huh? I swear you'll talk to anyone who'll listen. Did you ever think you might be bothering someone?"

Junpei looked shocked and downright insulted at the very idea that he was being a nuisance.

"What!? But I was just being friendly."

"If you say so." Yukari turned to face me and smiled, "Anyway, looks like we're in the same homeroom."

"Yeah, what are the odds of that happening?" I said. I have to be honest; I was extremely nervous, not just from getting into a conversation with practically two strangers, but I was just anxious to get back to the dorm, and start searching for the ring. So much so, I started to grab my left ring finger out of habit; trying to make sure it's there, but finding that it's not.

"Are you alright? You look… anxious." Yukari asked. I forgot how easy it was to read my emotions at times.

"I'm alright." I responded; though with the tone of voice I had, I knew she wouldn't buy it, "It's just…"

Yukari looked down and saw that I was holding my ring finger. It clicked in her head a few moments later.

"Oh yeah, you mentioned something about a ring."

"Yup. I wanted to make sure it got here as safely as possible, so I had it transported along with my other stuff… I just want to get to the dorm and find it as soon as I can, that's all."

"I'll help you then." She said immediately and without hesitation. I shook my head.

"No. It wouldn't be right to force you to help."

"It isn't forcing if I'm offering, right?"

(I don't think she will be budging on the issue.)

Sighing, I looked her in the eye and smiled.

"Alright." I said; adjusting my bag so it wouldn't fall off my shoulder.

"Um, hello? Are you forgetting that I'm in this class too?" Junpei cuts in, annoyed at being ignored… I'm not going to lie; I completely forgot about him during that conversation with Yukari. Heh heh, sorry Junpei!

"By the way, I heard you two came to school together this morning." He then added; his annoyed look evolved into a huge grin. Kinda like the Cheshire Cat. "What's up with that? C'mon, give me the dirt!"

(Remind me to watch what I say around here. News spreads quickly around these parts.)

Yukari did not take this well.

"Wh-what are you talking about!? We live in the same dorm, there's nothing going on, okay!? Why are people even talking about it? Now you have me worried!"

I wasn't really paying attention. I was too busy looking around the room. There was something about it that made me nervous; just standing there made a chill go through my body.

"…Hey… You didn't say anything about… You know what, did you?" I managed to catch her ask me. Without making direct eye contact, I answered.

"No, I haven't told anyone." I moved a stray piece of hair out of the way, but it was useless, as it just fell back into place. I didn't really care; I just needed something to distract myself from that cold feeling.

"Okay, good." She sounded relieved for a moment, before the nervous voice came back, "Seriously? Don't say anything about last night, alright?"

Junpei's reaction was golden. I didn't realise what Yukari said sounded like until later, but his look of shock and bafflement was amusing to me. Though what he said next ensured he would be punished later.

"Wh-what?" Yukari asked; afraid of the answer she'll receive.

"L-last night…?"

"W-wait a minute! Don't get the wrong idea. Listen! We just met yesterday and there's nothing between us!" Oh, Junpei; I will laugh when Yakushima comes around and I describe EXACTLY what happened after that event. Revenge is a dish best served as cold as ice… Or is it supposed to be just chilled? Back to what was going on at that moment; I was starting to become extremely nervous, that moment of distraction now lost. I wasn't sure if it was just me, or if the others are used to it, but the school's atmosphere had become cold and lifeless to me. Strange, considering how the classroom was as lively as ever, with animated conversations. The only thing running through my mind was that I had to get out of there, or I just might collapse from the lack of air. I leaned over to Yukari.

"Can we go back to the dorm?" I asked her. She looked at me and must have seen my scared look. "Please?" I added weakly. It only took a second for her to nod her head. We walked out of the classroom, ignoring whatever Junpei had to say in response to what Yukari said. Again, sorry Junpei.

~Spring of Hope~

I let out a shaky breath as we walked through the streets of Iwatodai; glad for the fresh air. I knew I looked scared, and I knew Yukari had noticed.

"You okay?" She asked me.

"I'm fine now." I responded, "I felt cold just standing there in the school. I normally take comfort from the cold but it didn't feel comforting at all... It was… It just felt strange, that's all. I also didn't have my ring with me… I don't feel safe without it on."

"Well, we better get looking for it then!" She bounced on ahead of me. Leaving me stuck in disbelief for a moment.

"What…?"

"You said you wanted to find it as soon as possible, didn't you?" She turned and said this to me with a smile. She started walking further down the street. It only took a few seconds for a smile to appear on my face and for me to start running to catch up to her.

(Your cheerfulness is contagious, Yukari. I don't know if you realise that… I hope we can become friends.)

We made it to the dorm before anyone else did. I wondered what the others were doing; they ended up in different classes than me. I forgot about it though as we walked up the stairs and to my room. The boxes were still there, of course, but with the amount of times I missed something in the past and the number of jobs I've done has taught me to be cautious. I took a look around the room, standard stuff, making sure nothing was out of place from when I went out that morning. I did notice something though, and I was sure it wasn't there that morning.

(A camera? Here? It's between the lights; I could barely see it. Don't draw attention to it, Ross… Why would they have a camera in here…? I'm going to have to be careful about what I do.)

"So, where do you want to start?" Yukari asked, pointing out the untouched boxes.

"Um… Just grab a box?" I replied; leading by example and grabbing the box nearest to the door and started unpacking. We must have spent about half an hour unpacking various boxes: my game consoles, games, clothes, Blu-Rays; normal stuff. The smaller boxes had some stuff I used during my tutelage at the orphanage.

"A toolset?" Yukari questioned, holding up the box for me to see. I didn't show any visible reaction.

"…My mentor gave me that." I explained; sorting through the wires for all my electrical items, "She said that sometimes the way to the truth requires skills from many fields. So I know my way around that toolset."

"Your mentor sounds like a wonderful teacher."

"Yeah… She is." We didn't say anything else on that and continued searching through the remaining boxes.

"Oh, my laptop." I said when I opened the box containing that particular item. Custom made, with a Japanese and English keyboard that can be switched at the touch of a button; 3.5 Ghz processing speed; Quad core; 8 GB's of RAM. Some of my other friends who know their computers gave it to me as a birthday present; they said it should come in handy should I ever need to _'get things done'_… Though with the camera there, I wasn't sure if I could safely get things done, even if I needed to.

"It looks pretty high tech." Yukari commented, examining it from where she sat.

"Got it for my birthday." I told her, "Friends made it for me."

"When is that?"

"February." That was all I said but Yukari is too curious for her own good at times.

"What day?"

"Um… I… I can't tell you." It sounds silly to be embarrassed over something as simple as a day, but after the amount of teasing I got over it, I wasn't willing to take that chance. Yukari was much smarter than I realised though. Her grin said everything.

"Awww!"

"C-cut it out!" I stammered, feeling a blush rising on my face. I turned away from her and I could hear laughter from her.

"Heheh, sorry, sorry. I just find it adorable how you were born on that day."

(You and everyone else around me.)

"…At least I always get a card on that day." I said with a goofy smile. We had a small laugh over it; I didn't really enjoy the consumerism aspect of it but my friends tell me that at least the day has a purpose if my birthday was on it. I took a minute amount of comfort from that.

"No roses?"

"Nah; like roses but I prefer lilies."

"…Huh?" I heard Yukari exclaim and turned to see what caught her attention. It was a small box, probably tucked away in between two of the bigger boxes. It was what was inside of the box that was important, of course… Though I had a couple of ideas for the boxes that were bigger than me.

"…We found it." I smiled and reached into the box, picking up the… even smaller box and held it in my hand. I flipped it open and revealed the thing we've searched for all this time.

"Whoa…! That is beautiful." Yukari whispered. I handed it to her to take a look. She examined the ring from every angle possible and was stunned. It managed to fit my thin fingers perfectly and the stone was as clear as ice. It looked a little feminine, but I did not give a shit. I took it back from her and slipped it on to my left ring finger.

(Feels good to have this back…)

"I can see why you're so protective of it. Do you know how much it's worth?"

"No. And even if I did, I would never consider selling it… It's too important." I gently touched the stone in the middle, feeling its coldness creep into my fingers. It was comforting to me.

(Hmm… I feel like I'm forgetting something.)

I then remembered the thing I managed to forget in the span of five seconds. I slowly turned to face the remaining boxes.

(Oh no… Not more boxes.)

I heard quiet laughter from the side. I kept my stern expression for a few seconds before failing to keep it up and start laughing.

(That's three times now you've managed to make me smile… What is it that you're doing? How are you making me smile this much?)

We unpacked the rest of the boxes in a warm atmosphere. And have I said boxes enough tonight? Maybe I could use another word; luggage… Packages… Anyway, nothing really interesting happened during the evening. Got an earful from Becky about the… _ending_. All I had to say in response was simply _"spoilers"_. I didn't confront Mitsuru about the cameras; it wouldn't be the smartest of ideas. Besides, if there's one in my room; how many more were there around the dorm? I was sure there was a good reason behind it, but it didn't make me comfortable. The next day wasn't that exciting either, so I'm going to skip to the Thursday of that week; where the real journey begins.

~Spring of Hope~

I didn't know what time I woke up at. All I heard was the sound of insistent knocking on my door.

"Wake up!" Yukari's voice called from behind the door, "Sorry, I'm coming in!" The handle turned and she rushed in, looking panicked and out of breath. I was sitting on the bed, feeling groggy and disorientated.

"Wh-what's going on?" '_Ask and ye shall receive'_ was the lesson I learned that night. As soon as I asked, the entire building shook as though an earthquake had hit. That woke me up quickly, and made me jump out of the bed and on to my feet. I quickly put on some trousers and a t-shirt.

"Hurry! Downstairs! We need to get out of here!" I started to walk toward the door but she stopped me, "Wait…! Take this, just in case." She placed a short sword in my hand. I didn't notice she had one, but I kept a straight face for the most part.

(T-this is…!? What is going on!?)

"Alright, let's go." I didn't say anything and followed her out of the room, and down the stairs. Along the way, I asked her something that worried me from the moment I felt the building shook.

"What about my friends!?" I asked her as we ran down the stairs.

"They'll be safe! That thing won't go after them!" She answered. Her answer only brought up another question that would haunt us for months.

(What thing? What is she talking about?)

We ended up near the window at the front door. I rested myself against the wall, wondering what exactly was going on. It was then I noticed what everything looked like: darkness illuminated only by a green light. It was all too similar.

(It's exactly like a few nights ago! What the…!?)

I caught what sounded like a conversation from Yukari and what sounded like Mitsuru. They were wearing headsets and were communicating with each other, but I didn't know that at the time.

"Takeba, do you read me!?" Mitsuru asked.

"Y-yes! I read you!" Yukari answered, with a hint of fear behind it.

"Be careful!" Mitsuru warned us, "There's more than one enemy! The one we're fighting isn't the one Akihiko saw!"

"What!?"

I heard the sound of thundering footsteps coming ever closer towards us. I slowly turned to the window and saw a nightmarish sight; a black mass as dark as the night itself and a mask with dull eyes. It was taller than the both of us combined and it looked just as powerful. Any doubt of its power was quelled by what it did next. It raised what could be considered its fist and pulled it back. I was so caught up looking at it I didn't think to move out of the way. Lucky for me, Yukari was more competent than I.

"Look out!" I felt a heavy force push into me and sent me falling to the ground as the window smashed. I shook my head, looked down and saw Yukari on top of me; her head on my chest. A second later, she got up and helped me to my feet.

"Run!" She grabbed my free hand and dragged me across the room to the stairs. We ran and ran, ran away from that monster. I still wasn't sure what was going on, only that I knew I couldn't die there; so I let myself be led by Yukari to the top floor.

"Oh, yeah! If we go out through there…!" She pushed the fire exit that was there open and led me out on to the roof, closing it behind us. We took a moment to catch our breath; knowing it was only a temporary reprieve.

"I think we're safe for now."

"That door won't be able to hold it back." I point out, "What are we going to do then?"

"… I'll protect you." That's what she told me; her resolve was clear to me even if it wasn't to her. I could see it, and it calmed me. The building shook again, nearly knocking us off our feet. The silence that followed was thick; you could barely breathe in that tense air. Slight tremors coming from the opposite side made us turn slowly towards it.

"What the…!?" I let out as I caught sight of several hands gripping the end of the building; using it to climb up onto the roof. It moved its mask around, as though it was looking for something. When it caught sight of us, it pulled out at least six knifes; growing six more hands to accommodate them. It suddenly ran towards us at an alarming speed. Yukari stood in front of me.

"Those monsters. We call them Shadows!" She told me as she pulled out something from near her thigh; it was the same gun she nearly pulled out the first night I came to the dorm. Instead of pointing it at the Shadow like I thought she would; she pointed it at her forehead. I froze in fear; I didn't know what was going on and I didn't think to stop her. I had no knowledge of the real purpose of the gun at the time, so I thought that she was… You know. The Shadow came closer and Yukari hesitated on pulling the trigger; giving the Shadow the chance to attack her, sending her crashing to the ground and me leaping off to the side to dodge its blade, making me drop the short sword I had behind me. The gun landed near my feet and, for a moment, I simply stared at it. I looked at it, and then looked at the Shadow, but for a second, it wasn't there. Instead, the same kid who greeted me when I came to the dorm and had me sign the contract was there. He pointed at me, to the gun and then smiled.

"Go on."

I could feel my heart start thumping as I bend over to pick it up; images of what Yukari nearly did flash through my mind. I kept a firm grip on it as I brought it up to my chest, and then to my head. My breath started shaking, my hands trembling. What I did that night was exhilarating, and terrifying. I didn't get many opportunities to feel that rush again throughout those many months. As I calmed my nerves and relaxed my posture, my lips curled up into a smile. What I said next changed many of the lives around here forever.

"Per…so…na!"

A gunshot rang out, and power like I've never felt before in my life coursed through my body. When I regained my senses; the Shadow was gone and the rooftop was silent once more. I looked around and saw Yukari still on the floor, looking up at me. She looked very surprised, which left me wondering what in the hell happened. As she told me later; when I shot the gun, something materialized out of the air, and while I didn't hear anything at that time, this was what it said;

"**I am Jehuty. Ready for combat operation."**

How can I describe it without giving every detail of it away? Hmm… I guess you can say it's like a mecha; you know, like from the anime I love to watch. From what Yukari explained to me, Jehuty cut down the Shadow like it was nothing, and disappeared shortly afterwards. I relaxed a little, feeling that the danger was over for the time being. At least, that's what I thought. I felt a sudden shifting in the air and could tell that something was wrong. I ran to my short sword and picked it up; getting into a defensive position. I kept my focus on the rooftop in front of me, not letting any outside distractions hinder me. In a flash, the creature that caused the disturbance attacked. I couldn't even see it, it was moving so fast. It struck once, twice, thrice; but all these I managed to block at the cost of my blade, which shattered into tiny pieces. It stopped a fair distance away, allowing me to take a good look at it. It was taller than I; had a tail which cuts through the air with minimal effort, a spear with a pointed blade at the end of it, six wings floated behind it and it had a dog-like anthropomorphic appearance. It also had a similar mechanical appearance like Jehuty did. I didn't learn its name until later; what is it, you may ask? Well, what's the fun in telling you everything before it happens? It would be boring; not exciting at all.

The mecha twirled its spear and pulled it back, aiming to throw it somewhere. I followed its line of sight and saw that it was aiming at Yukari who had managed to get back up on to her feet.

(No! I will not let her die!)

I ran over to her as fast as I could, and shoved her out of the way just in time for the spear to miss her… And hit me instead. It went through my body; the force of the hit slammed me against the wall hard. I was sure that it managed to break a few bones. I coughed up a fair amount of blood which spilled across the ground in front of me. The mecha disappeared shortly after the strike, its spear along with it. Without it to keep me up, I collapsed to the ground. I tried to get back up but I couldn't move my legs, or my whole body for that matter. I was having difficulty breathing as well.

(G-get up…! I… m-must…!)

I tried to get up, though it was impossible to breath, but my legs gave out and I fell to the ground once more. The last thing I saw before losing consciousness was Yukari looking over me panicked, and a pool of my blood starting to form.

~Spring of Hope~

(W-what… What happened to me?)

I awoke sometime later; sitting on a chair, staring at a blue carpet. I found this odd because the last thing I remembered was me falling unconscious.

(Am… am I dead?)

"Not quite yet, young man." I snapped my head to the sound of the voice, and saw an old man; white hair, a black suit with a handkerchief in the front pocket and probably the longest nose ever sitting across from me behind a table. I looked around and saw that I was in an elevator of some sorts; a clock whose hands continually spin round and round hangs above us, and beside the old man was a young woman. She caught my attention straight away. Her short white hair and yellow eyes, combined with her blue dress that resembled a stewardess' outfit. She was beautiful, I'll admit that. I was too confused to make sense of everything around me at first though.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room. My name is Igor; I am delighted to make your acquaintance." Igor explained before pointing out the woman, "This is Elizabeth. She's a resident here, like myself."

"Pleased to meet you." Elizabeth said in a sweet sounding voice.

"This place exists between dream and reality; mind and matter. It's been years since we've had a guest." Igor raised his hand and waved over the table, making a familiar red folder appear. It was the contract I signed a few days before.

"Only those who have signed the contract may enter. Henceforth, you shall be welcome here in the Velvet Room. You are destined to uncover many truths throughout the next year, and you will require our help to do so. I only ask for one thing in return; that you abide by the contract and assume responsibility for the choices you make."

I let my posture slack. I was hopelessly confused about all this.

(That contract was from these people? Was the kid working for them? What did they call this place, the Velvet Room? Well, it certainly is velvet-y.)

"I… I understand." I spoke for the first time in this conversation, "How am I alive though…?"

"That is one of the mysteries you will have to solve in the coming months."

I had many more questions I wanted to ask. So many questions, but I had a feeling that the answers would come in these mysteries I was meant to solve.

"By the way. I see that it was Jehuty who heeded your calling. That power you wield is called a Persona; it is a manifestation of your psyche." Igor calmly explained to me suddenly. I took a second to process the information.

"You mean… It came from within me?"

"It'll take some time to fully comprehend. A Persona is a facet of your personality that surfaces as you react to certain stimuli. You can think of it as a mask that protects you as you brave many hardships. Your abilities will help you shine light on truths that may be hidden to the human eye. Your power will grow as you shield those who are threatened by the false truths that linger in this world and gradually build bonds with them. The stronger your bond, the more powerful your Persona's abilities."

"… So what you're saying is; I help the innocent who were falsely accused and become friends with them, so my abilities to protect the people will grow stronger?"

"Precisely. You are a quick learner, which is a good trait to have on this journey… Now then; time marches on in your world. I shouldn't keep you here any longer. Next time we meet, you will come here of your own accord." Igor waved his hand again, and I could feel something appear in my hand. I took a look and it was a decently sized key. I assumed it was the key to the room; after all, he did say I was welcome here at any time. I could start to feel my body becoming heavy as I examined the key; I tried to shake myself awake, but it was no use. Before long, I was fast asleep, but not before hearing a farewell from Igor.

"Till' we meet again."

* * *

Author's Note: I don't have anything really important to say except for an apology for being so late with this. I wasn't feeling at my best, and though I love to write; I can't do it at the best of my abilities if I'm not feeling too great. Also, another shout out to someone who followed this while I was writing it: _'thenextgamer'_, a name that I also recognise from the previous account. So, a big hello to you and I hope you're enjoying it so far. Thanks for coming and I hope you stay for the next chapter. And yes, I'll stay to a schedule NOW that I'm feeling better.


	3. Chapter 2: A Vase of Lilies

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES – Spring of Hope

Author's Note: God damn brother, giving me a cold the day I updated… Oh, hello, didn't see you there. Actually, I can't see you; if I could I think I would be very worried and this joke has gone on for a bit too long. Anyway, I wanted to get this done last week, but circumstances (a very bad cold) hasn't left me with many opportunities to write anything, but I feel better now, and am ready to tackle this beast of a chapter. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 2: A Vase of Lilies

(…Ugh… Well, that's one way to nearly get yourself killed, good job me… Where am I? This isn't my room, or my bed… An unfamiliar ceiling.)

"You're awake!"

I turned from the white ceiling and looked in the direction of the voice. It was Yukari who sat on a stool near me.

"So… How are you feeling?" She asked very awkwardly. It was like she saw a dead man come back to life.

"I… could be worse, I suppose." I grunted, trying to get up into a sitting position, but some medical equipment kept me from doing so.

"Take it easy." Yukari placed her hand on my left one, "You're nowhere near recovered yet. You shouldn't move around so much."

"…How bad was I?" I asked nervously; afraid of the answer I would receive. Yukari looked on the verge of tears as she spoke.

"You… You almost died. In fact, you DID die… The doctors said it was a miracle you're still alive." She grabbed something from the front of the bed and read what was on it, "Massive laceration; entry wound from the chest area and exit wound from the back. Three broken ribs; broken right arm; left leg broken; a blood transfusion was required to keep the blood flow from decreasing… By all accounts, you shouldn't be alive, let alone be able to speak. Yet, the doctors say you're recovering just fine! Surgery was a success, and you should be able to leave within the week!"

I took in this information, and found myself at a loss. I knew what I did was pretty much suicide, and I didn't expect to come out of it alive.

(How come I managed to survive that? Even with such a high risk of dying…? Is this one of the mysteries Igor mentioned?)

"How long was I out?" I asked, feeling a little disoriented and a little clarification could help me get my bearings again.

"Two weeks." Yukari answered concisely. Two whole weeks of my life, gone just like that. Life's incredibly fragile at times.

"…Are you okay?" I asked her next, feeling more than a little worried.

"Me!? I was so worried about you!" She answered quite loudly. A thought struck me as I took a look at her face. She looked scared, frightened; I haven't seen her like that before, granted I had only known her for a few days beforehand but I have a gift for reading emotions, no matter how slight the change is. I thought about what happened on the roof, and how I couldn't remember much about what occurred after pulling the trigger on the gun.

"What did I do?" I asked Yukari, feeling that I can finally get some answers out of her.

"The power you used; we call it _Persona. _And those creatures you killed were Shadows… Our enemy. We'll explain everything later, I'm sorry we didn't tell you." She shifted in her seat a little before looking down at the floor. "I… I wanted to tell you, you remind me of me so much."

"Huh?" I vocalise, not sure of what she meant.

"My dad died when I was little; and I don't know where my mom went. To be honest, I'd already known about your past before you told me. It didn't seem fair so I wanted you to know about mine. That incident that took your father's life… My dad was there when it happened. He was working in a lab ran by the Kirijo Group, so I thought if I stuck around I would find out something. That's why I'm going to Gekkoukan High, and why I was there when this happened to you… I'm sorry; you wouldn't be in this state if I wasn't such a coward."

Her apology was legitimate, though I felt it was unneeded, and I even told her as such.

"You have no need to be sorry. I only did what was necessary."

"…But still…" She still looked racked with guilt over the previous night's events, and I began thinking of ways to reassure her. Until my eyes hovered over something on a desk to my left. It was a vase, with some flowers in it. I first thought it was from the hospital but another quick glance at it told me it wasn't. I then looked at the flowers. There were fourteen of those particular flowers in it.

"Lilies…?" I asked, a bit confused about where they came from.

"They were your favourite right?" Yukari asked back with a smile. That confirmed to me that the flowers came from her, but it also made me curious about another thing.

"How often did you come to visit me?"

"Every day since the surgery. One lily for every day." She answered immediately, still having that smile.

(I've been here for two weeks… She came to see me for this long…?)

We managed to keep up a warm conversation throughout the next couple of hours. Topics ranged from hobbies, favourite novels or manga in my case, to even our favourite desserts; we both loved Strawberry Sundae coincidently. This conversation, in hindsight to everything that happened in the next few months, was one I was glad to have with Yukari. It allowed us to get comfortable speaking with one another, on equal ground and with nothing to hide from each other. I had a feeling I could trust her after she helped me out, but this cemented it. One of the many things I was glad to take from this adventure is this; the knowledge that I could count on her. And when the time came when I really needed someone there for me, I was glad that she was the one to help pick up the pieces of my shattered soul.

~Spring of Hope~

I certainly wished the day after I was let out of the hospital was more peaceful. The day I was let out was on a school day so Yukari came to pick me up and helped me walk to school. Even though I made a surprising recovery from my injuries, I had difficulty walking; so she helped me limp from the hospital to the train, from the train to the school gate, and from the school gate to the classroom. As soon as I walked through the door, I was bombarded with questions. I didn't tell them the complete truth, as that would be a very unwise thing to do. I told them what I could; that I couldn't remember everything that happened that night, which is technically true.

"You know; Yuka-tan's been hysterical since you were in the hospital."

It was the end of the school day, thankfully. After the initial shock of seeing me all bandaged up, the day went by without incident. I had some difficulty writing with my left hand though; I am not ambidextrous by any stretch and having my dominant arm in a sling didn't do me any favours. With the way I was dressed, part of my bandaged chest and back was revealed; which made people curious but they didn't ask too deeply about it. I looked up at Junpei; Yukari was taking care of something and said she would be back to help me get back to the dorm soon.

"I'm sure you're just exaggerating."

"I'm not though! Every day since you were gone; right when the last bell rings, she rushes out those doors as fast as she could. We didn't know where she goes off to, but seeing what happened this morning, I think we can guess where she's been."

"… She was visiting me. Brought me flowers too." I let a smile show on my face.

"Oh really?" Junpei asked, giving me a very creepy smile, "Roses?"

"Nah… Lilies."

"Huh?"

"They're my favourite." I clarified.

"You know that people are talking; how you and Yuka-tan are getting all buddy buddy. Mind telling me what's up there?"

"I don't see what the big deal is. I'm becoming friends with the popular girl, so what?"

"How do you know she's popular?"

"People wouldn't be making such a big fuss otherwise."

"Ah, I get ya. You didn't really answer my question though."

I had a thought that people would be talking about it at that point. I would have preferred to keep to the shadows, like a spy; but my absence didn't give me that luxury as all it did was draw attention.

"…No, there's nothing going on. Not really interested." I said in the most deadpan voice I could, "Besides, my luck with women isn't always the best."

"How come?"

(You are too curious for your own good at times, Junpei.)

I sighed, and looked down at the table.

"… I don't really want to talk about the reason why. It is what it is."

"…Alright dude. How do you explain Yuka-tan's actions though?"

I scratched my head as I thought about it, but I didn't have a real answer.

(I remind her of her, huh? Is that the only reason she was… Nah, I refuse to believe that. She's a kind person… Still, she's kinda familiar…)

I heard the door slid open and in walked the ever cheerful Yukari Takeba… who wasn't looking so cheerful.

"Hey." She said in an oddly subdued tone, "Junpei giving you trouble? I see he's been interrogating you."

"Interrogation? This is torture." I chuckled lightly, "Seriously though, he hasn't been too big a pain."

"That's good… So, you ready to go?"

"Yeah."

With her help, I managed to get out of the building and back to the street where the dorm is. I'm sure I would have been able to walk if I put enough energy into it, but I didn't want to risk damaging my leg more than it already was.

"By the way, Mitsuru-senpei wants to see you when we get back." Yukari said when we turned the corner.

"I take it it's about what happened a few weeks back?" I took a guess and she nodded in response, "Who are you people?"

"I think it would be better if Mitsuru and the Chairman explain that."

(The Chairman…?)

"… Can I ask you something, Yukari?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Why did you visit me in the hospital? We barely knew each other a few weeks ago."

"You saved my life, you know? Besides… there's something familiar about you. It makes me want to help you, and be there for you."

Now something like that wouldn't exactly raise signals in any other person, but my mentor taught me well. I had a similar feeling earlier in the day, and hearing that now of all times did nothing to quell my suspicions.

(Hmm… It's a little far-fetched, but I can't afford to believe in coincidences. I'll have to keep this in mind.)

We got to the dorm's front door after that short conversation. Opening it showed three people sitting on the couches. One of them was Mitsuru, but I didn't know the other two at the time.

"McHardy." Mitsuru greeted me, "I'm glad to see you're safe. Please, have a seat."

Yukari led me to the big couch, let me down on it and sat beside me. I took a look at the other two people there, both men. One of them was middle age, had long brown hair, dark brown eyes, a goatee and wore a nice tan suit and glasses. The other had short silver hair, grey eyes and looked around my age. He also had a red sweater jacket and black gloves.

"Allow me to introduce myself." The middle aged man started off, "My name is Shuji Ikutsuki, I'm the Chairman of the Board of your school. This here is Akihiko Sanada, he's also a resident of the dorm."

Akihiko gave a short wave and smile.

"How're you doing?"

I let out a couple of coughs, and then waved back.

"Could be worse; could be dead."

"Now that introductions are out of the way. Let me begin by asking a question: would you believe me if I said that a day consists of more than 24 hours?"

"Yes." I said immediately, "I can't deny the evidence right in front of me. What I don't understand is that thing that nearly killed Yukari, those _Shadows_. I hope you can clarify this for me."

"Shadows only appear during that period of time, which we call The Dark Hour." Mitsuru told me, "It occurs each day right at midnight."

"Normal people don't notice it, since they're asleep inside their coffins. But there's certain people who are fully conscious of The Dark Hour. Namely, all of us." Akihiko added with a very excited grin, "It's our job to defeat the Shadows; sounds exciting, doesn't it?"

Mitsuru didn't look pleased at Akihiko's display of eagerness, and gave him a strong glare.

"Akihiko, why are you always like that!? You just got hurt the other day!"

Akihiko gave a strong glare back and the rooms temperature went up by at least five degrees.

(Is it getting hot in here, or is it just me? I can feel that from over here. Poor Ikutsuki being stuck in the middle of that.)

Ikutsuki looked at the both of them nervously, and I couldn't blame him.

"Now, now. He does his work well." Ikutsuki told them, and it seemed to calm them down. He looked back at me, "Long story short; we're the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad- -SEES for short. On paper, we're classified as a school club. In reality, we're a group dedicated to beating the Shadows."

"A Shadow feeds on the mind of its prey; the victim becomes a living corpse." Mitsuru chimed in, "They're responsible for most of the incidents on the news, if not all of them."

"Well, that's the first I've heard of this… I doubt the police can do anything about The Dark Hour, so how do you fight them?" I asked, getting more and more curious by the second.

"Like Akihiko said, some people are conscious during The Dark Hour." Ikutsuki explained this part, "They may even awaken to a power that enables them to fight and defeat the Shadows. That's Persona- -the power you used the other night. The Shadows can only be defeated by Persona users, so that means it's all up to you guys."

"…What are you getting at?" As soon as I asked this, Mitsuru placed a silver briefcase on the table and opened it up. In it was a gun, something like a gauntlet and an armband engraved with the word _SEES_ on it.

"What he's trying to say is; we want you to join us." Mitsuru said, "We've prepared an Evoker for you. We'd like for you to lend us your strength."

I ran my free hand through my hair as I made my decision quickly.

"Yes, I'll do it. I've got my own mysteries to solve: my impossible survival, the thing that nearly killed Yukari… That velvet room… I have two conditions though."

"Name them."

"One: my friends get moved to safety, they will NOT get involved in this. And two: I will only accept orders directly from Mitsuru-senpei; no cut-offs involved, OK?"

"That seems reasonable." Mitsuru smiled. A relieved sigh escaped from Yukari's lips.

"I was afraid you would say no." Yukari gave me a pretty smile, "Welcome aboard."

"Thank you so much, I'm really glad." Ikutsuki gave his thanks, "Now I'm sure you've noticed that gauntlet in the suitcase."

"Yeah, what's with it?" I eyed the item; it was metallic and had a LCD touchscreen in the middle of it.

"One of our scientists took a look over the footage from that fight, and was intrigued." Mitsuru explained, "He looked at your file and designed that gauntlet according to your personality and fighting style."

"…What's his name?"

"A fellow named Stephen. A genius at engineering and a brilliant scientist, but a bit of an oddball." Ikutsuki answered.

"I was surprised to learn that you studied martial arts." Akihiko said after keeping quiet for a while, "Though I've never heard of the _Kazama Style Traditional Martial Arts _before."

"… My mentor and I developed it together." I remembered fondly, smiling at the memories of my tutelage under her.

"The gauntlet is designed to let you fight without worrying about breaking its electronics. There's a second one without all the bells and whistles for your right arm as well." Ikutsuki gave further information on the gauntlet and I was intrigued. I reached out for it but I moved my right arm too far accidentally and groaned in pain. Yukari grabbed the gauntlet for me and helped me slip it on. I flexed my fingers in the fabric and found it fitted perfectly. The touchscreen suddenly lit up and a holographic screen appeared from it.

"What the- -!?" A cry of surprise from me bounced around the halls of the dormitory's living room, until it was replaced by the sound of a female voice, robotic but not without emotion.

"Hello human." She said. The image was of a female with a white dress, with only the top half of her face and the lower half of her body hidden.

"…Who are you?"

"I'm Burroughs, a navigational AI. I've acknowledged you as my user."

"Burroughs here will be the backbone of your investigations." Ikutsuki said, "She can keep track of your team members status, display a map of your surroundings and any information on it, keep a record of all your findings for quick reference and give advice based on the situation at hand."

"So you're a sentient AI?" I asked Burroughs curiously, finding the concept endearing to me.

"Yes, Master. I'll do the best I can to help you." The image disappeared, leaving me thoroughly impressed with this piece of tech that was given to me.

"There's also a message from Stephen that he wanted me to pass onto you. He said: _I hope you will find Burroughs helpful throughout the coming months. I've designed many applications for you to use with the gauntlet to give you and your team an edge in battle. Space is limited though, so choose your apps wisely. I've also left a handful of very important apps in the hands of our mutual friend in the room of velvet; while you may not be able to fully utilize its capabilities right now, you will soon. I highly recommend you speak with him and retrieve them. I'll contact you soon and don't hesitate to ask questions about the gauntlet or the apps._ He told me that you would know what he's talking about."

"…Yeah, I know who he's talking about. That old man was the one who told me about Personas; problem is I don't know how to contact him… He'll show up eventually so I'll wait until then."

Though I knew they had their questions about what I said, they didn't speak up about it for the moment. Many hours passed as I contemplated my new position as a member of SEES; the message from Stephen and how he knows of Igor and the Velvet Room, and the mysteries that were laid out in front of me: my miraculous survival and even faster recovery; the thing that attacked us after killing the Shadow, The Dark Hour and how it's all connected in my search for the truth. I had a feeling it was going to be a long and difficult journey, but I was ready to take it head on… I had to recover from a huge case of ouch first before doing that.

* * *

Author's Note: Not much to say here, other than I managed to finish this in record time. Watching Full Metal Alchemist is a great way to help focus on stuff, who knew? And a shout out to a new follower: _KronosFireZeroOne_ (Love the name by the way, very kickass), hope you're enjoying it so far. And yes, I'll keep track of _everyone_ who follows the story, because you guys are awesome and one of the reasons I want to try my very best at this. See you next time!


	4. Chapter 3: Knowledge is Power (Part 1)

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES – Spring of Hope

Author's Note: I never expected to work on the next chapter this fast, but I'm trying to keep to a schedule here. It also helps past the time. Now to respond to the reviews I've gotten so far since I neglected to do that last time:

_Thenextgamer_: I find the relationship potential very fun to write and think about. The Aeon Social Links are probably the best of Persona 3 FES and Persona 4 Golden's Social Links and probably the most heartwarming out of them as well. It's very sweet and I can't help but smile during the latter half of them.

_KronosFireZeroOne_: Thank you for the kind words. I'll try not to disappoint, though I am nervous about one particular aspect of this story; you'll see what I mean soon enough.

I hope you enjoy.

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Chapter 3: Knowledge is Power (Part 1)

True to her word, Mitsuru had Becky and Sophie moved somewhere else for safety, though they were still able to call me whenever they need to. It took an extra week for my injuries to heal completely; I was able to walk by myself within two days, move my right arm fully within four and was allowed to remove the bandages covering my chest and back by the end. Though it left noticeable scars; I was glad to have them off as they restrict my movement. I was sitting in my room, doing some homework. Fun fact: being stuck in the hospital for two weeks is not good for schoolwork… Well, it isn't exactly fun. I never had the patience for homework; I just think _why bother with it?_ I was hoping for something, anything to distract me from it.

"It's Yukari! Can you come down here!?"

(…And speak of the devil.)

At her call, I smiled and left the room, hopping down the stairs with a bounce in my step. I was just glad to have an excuse to get away from homework. I saw Yukari and Akihiko standing near the door and walked to them.

"Okay, he's here now. So what is this all about?" Yukari asked Akihiko.

"There's someone I want to introduce you to." Akihiko turned to the door, "Hey! Hurry up!"

"Hold your horses! This is freaking heavy!" A familiar voice said from outside. Though muffled by the door, I could recognise who the voice belonged to.

(Wait a minute… Don't tell me- -!?)

The door swung open and in walked the cap wearing smartass that is Junpei Iori, pushing in a ton of luggage. Yukari was as shocked as I was at that moment.

"J-Junpei! Why is HE here!? Wait, don't tell me- -"

"This is Junpei Iori from Class 2-F. He'll be staying here as of today." Akihiko interrupted, while Junpei had quite possibly the biggest grin on his face possible as he let out a chuckle.

"Wazzup?" He had absolutely no right to be that smug about surprising us!

"He's staying HERE!? You gotta be kidding me!?" Yukari was absolutely livid about this and I was just left confused about it all.

"I bumped into him the other night." Akihiko explained to us, "He has the potential but he just awoke to it recently. I told him about us and he agreed to help."

"YOU have the potential!? For real!?" Yukari was still in a state of shock. By this point, I had gotten over the shock phase and moved onto the thinking of _what the hell is he doing here_ phase.

"He found me crying like a baby at the convenience store, surrounded by a bunch of coffins." Junpei began to explain his side of the story, "I don't remember much, but damn is that embarrassing! He said that is, ya know, completely normal in the beginning. Like being confused, and not remembering anything… Did you guys know that?"

"I… don't remember ever being like that." What he said got me thinking about the time I arrived up until now, and I couldn't remember being confused. I also fully remember my time in The Dark Hour.

"Whatever, I'm glad to see you looking a lot better, man. I bet you're stoked too, having me join?"

"…Y-yeah, I am. I'm actually more surprised than anything." I spoke honestly. I noticed that Akihiko had a similar excited grin he had a week prior, when Mitsuru scolded him.

"Enough with the introductions, I think we're about ready." He said, more to himself than to us, "With this many people, we can start exploring that place."

(_That place_… Sounds terrifying.)

"You mean… Tartarus?" Yukari asked, looking nervous. It was the first time I heard the word _Tartarus_ and I would never forget it.

"Tartarus? What's that? Sounds like toothpaste." Junpei commented unnecessarily. I made a point to ignore the comment, so did Yukari.

"We believe we can find the reason for The Dark Hour there." Akihiko told us.

"I hope so…" Yukari whispered to herself, looking unsure. I was about to ask her what was wrong until I noticed a light coming from the device in my pocket.

(Why did I put my 3DS in there again- - Oh yeah, Street Pass.)

I pulled out said portable gaming device and noticed that I got a Street Pass from another console. Other than the one I got earlier that day.

(I wonder who this _Yami0608 _is… I'm sure I'll come across him or her again. We managed to do a nice trade in Monster Hunter 4 though, so I can't say I'm complaining.)

"…By the way Junpei, do you have a 3DS?"

"Uh, yeah. How did you know?"

"I got a Street Pass from you." I showed him the console and smiled at his surprise; gave him a taste of his own medicine… Though why he was surprised at this, I have no clue. Doesn't he know how his own stuff worked? We ended up talking about our mutual interests for the next hour or so before I went back to my room and closed the door behind me. I let out a heavy sigh, and saw my laptop on the desk, with my homework still in the process of being typed. And a small blinking light flashing in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. Knowing what that meant, I sat down and double clicked the icon. A little message box appeared and I started typing.

"**Hey, Leader.**" It didn't take long to get a response.

"**Hey there.**"

"**Is this line secure?**"

"**Of course. I hear you've been in the hospital for a few weeks; been getting into trouble?**"

"**Nah, you know me; I don't get caught. Though I may have stumbled onto something here, something huge.**"

"**Is it safe to talk about it?**"

"**I don't fully understand it myself. Too many mysteries have cropped up. I may need your help in the future.**"

"**We always have your back. You remember Osaka, don't you?**"

"**YOU'RE the one bringing up Osaka!? Good lord, I'll probably never be able to live that down!**"

"**Hey, it wasn't that bad. So what are these mysteries you've come across?**"

"**For one thing, I should be dead; but somehow I'm still alive. I'm working with a group of people on this; one of them is the heir to the Kirijo Group.**"

"**Mitsuru Kirijo? You better not get any ideas.**"

"**The thought never crossed my mind.**"

"**Heh. Well, I'm taking off; Yu-ichi and Six are having another argument.**"

"**Alright. Take care of yourself.**"

"**You too. You need our help, just call; you know the number.**"

Leader signed off after that. I leaned back into my chair and let out a smile.

(Good to see they're still around...)

~Spring of Hope~

"Hi, how are you?"

(Okay, whoever interrupted my sleep is going to get a big punch in the- - What the…? It's that kid again.)

I was happily trying to sleep through The Dark Hour, until I was rudely awakened by the same kid who had me sign the contract. He sat at the far end of the bed and I had to sit up to see him properly.

"How did you get in here?" I was honestly curious about that.

"I'm always with you." He answered with the same creepy voice he used when we first spoke.

(…Very, very uncomfortable here.)

"Soon, the end will come. I remembered, so I thought I would tell you." He warned me. I thought about it very calmly; strange considering that he spoke of the end of something, I didn't know what yet, but I was about to rectify that.

"The end of what?"

"The end of everything." He suddenly looked regretful, "But to be honest, I don't really know what it is." His expression changed again to that of a curious boy.

"Hmm… It seems that you are beginning to awaken to your power. And an unusual power it is. A power that will allow you to soar to new heights and become stronger than you could ever imagine. It may prove to be your salvation, depending on where you end up."

He suddenly teleported from the edge of the bed to in front of my TV. After seeing everything I've seen, I was willing to accept that he could teleport around the room.

"Allow me to ask you a question: how do you believe the world should be governed?"

"Humans should have the right to make their own choices, within the boundaries of the law." I immediately answered. It was a given what I said, it was supposed to be the politically correct answer to give. What I didn't know is how my faith in that would be shaken as the months pass by. The boy was thinking it over before smiling at me again.

"So that's what you believe? Alright then, I'll leave you to your sleep. I'll be watching, even if you forget about me."

And like that, he was gone; leaving me to ponder his words and how they could connect to the mysteries surrounding The Dark Hour. I didn't sleep for the rest of the night.

~Spring of Hope~

Lunchtime rolled around in Gekkoukan High, and the gang, as I like to call us, consisting of Yukari, Junpei and I were sitting at our desks. We were discussing, discreetly, about SEES and the other members, namely Mitsuru. I had a feeling that Yukari didn't fully trust her, and my suspicions were confirmed later on. Eventually, the topic of discussion ended up on something personal.

"So, who was your mentor?" Yukari asked.

"That's a… weird question to ask. Why do you want to know?"

"You mentioned her a few times; and you always look so happy when you speak of her. So what's the story there?" Yukari looked genuinely curious. She was like a nosy little sister who couldn't help but ask about private business. I had no problem speaking of it though, so I answered her question.

"She's like a mother to me… And my master."

"Sounds like there's a lot of love there too." Junpei threw in his two yen. I shook my head in disagreement though.

"No, it went deeper than that."

"Deeper?" Yukari questioned. It sounds so wrong when you think of it like Junpei was probably thinking, but there was no other way I could describe it.

"Half of me belongs to her… I guess you can say she was my first love." I admitted, much to my embarrassment. I wasn't always the best when it came to hiding my emotions, even though I can spot even the slightest cracks on a stony face. Irony; I absolutely hate it at times.

"Sounds like you two were really close."

"Yeah, we are… I haven't seen her in a long time though… I hope she's okay…" I said sadly. I truly missed her, and wished I could see her again. As I thought about it, the classroom door slid open and Mitsuru walked in. All eyes were on her as she walked to us.

"Can I have a minute?" She asked, "Come to the lounge when you get back to the dorm. I have something to tell everyone."

"Oh, are we having that talk?" Junpei said, trying not to let the on-lookers know of what we're talking about.

"I'll save the details for later. See you then." And like that, she walked off. We all stared at the door.

"… That was abrupt." I slowly stated, getting past my confusion.

"Yeah, she didn't waste any time leaving." Junpei agreed.

"She's probably busy with things like Student Council. Unlike us." Yukari said, contempt seeping out of her words. Sensing the sharp coldness of Yukari's words, Junpei and I actually shuffled away from her in our seats.

"Whoa, Yuka-tan! Do I sense some hostility?" Junpei rightfully asked.

"…It's not that I don't like her. It's just…" She trailed off and didn't finish the sentence.

(I knew it; she doesn't trust Mitsuru. This could complicate things… What if she has a good reason for not trusting her though…? Regardless, I have to place my trust in all of them… Because I have to.)

~Spring of Hope~

Nightfall came, and like we were told to, we headed for the dormitory's lounge. I was the last to arrive at the dorm and I sat down next to Yukari once I got there. Everyone was there, including the Chairman who was about to make an announcement.

"Okay, everyone's here. I'd like your undivided attention. For the longest time, Mitsuru and Akihiko were the only Persona users we had; but that number recently jumped to five. So, starting tonight at 12 A.M, I'd like to commence the exploration of Tartarus."

"Sorry, I know I asked this before but what's this Tartarus thing again?" Junpei asked, raising his hand like he was in class.

"You haven't seen it, Junpei?" Yukari asked him in return, making it sound like he should have seen it. And when I saw what Tartarus actually looked like, I was shocked he didn't notice it sooner.

"It's no surprise. Since it only appears during The Dark Hour." Ikutsuki informed us, catching my attention.

"The Dark Hour?" I asked curiously, finding this piece of information to be important.

"Just like the Shadows. Interesting, huh?" Akihiko added with a smile, "And it's the perfect place for us to train. You can think of it as a Shadow nest."

"Whoa… Their nest, huh?" Junpei said incredulously.

"But Senpei; what about your injury?" Yukari asked Akihiko; which made me do a double take.

"Wait, Akihiko's injured?" I did not know about that. When did that happen, was what I was asking myself.

"The night the dorm was attacked…" Mitsuru said, "Akihiko and I were fighting another Shadow. He was injured during his encounter with it outside the dorm. He didn't have a choice but to run back here, bringing it back with him. And since he isn't fully recovered yet, he'll only go as far as the entrance."

"Yeah, I know." Akihiko looked really dejected from her words. He was the kind of guy who loves a good fight; a feeling I know too well. The adrenaline that comes from a fight is a good feeling that leaves you wanting more. After we actually got to know each other and had a few matches, we became really good friends.

"Well, I'm sure he won't complain as long as you don't go too far in. Since we are dealing with Shadows, Tartarus isn't something we can avoid." Ikutsuki told us. Junpei stood up and clenched his fist in excitement.

"Relax, I've got your backs!" He shouted. He thought that his strength alone would carry us all the way through Tartarus.

(Arrogance will lead to nothing but failure. I hope he realises that soon.)

"What about you, Mr. Chairman?" Mitsuru directed her question at Ikutsuki.

"I'll stay here. As you know, I can't summon a Persona." He said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. It bugged me, but not enough to distract me from my task. It was time to suit up, as one would say and prepare for our first venture into Tartarus. While Akihiko lead Junpei and Yukari to their armoury; the suitcase that contained my gauntlets was waiting for me on the dining table. I opened it up, and ran a finger over the smooth metal. After a few seconds, I slipped them on and fastened them up. Giving a quick punch to test it out, I found that it didn't slow my arms down one bit.

(This is some fine craftsmanship right here… I want to see if I still remember it…)

Walking over to the empty spot in the middle of the room, I got into position. The curious eyes of Mitsuru and Ikutsuki watching; I began the _Yantsu_ kata that my mentor taught me many years ago. I went through the various stances in order; focusing on nothing but this performance. Punches and kicks flew and before I knew it, I was done.

(Yup, I still do remember… Alright, now for the second one.)

It was during the interlude between the first kata and the next that Yukari, Junpei and Akihiko returned from the armoury, but I didn't let that distract me. I began the _Pinan Sono Yon _kata; noticing that the gauntlets don't restrict me from twisting my hand either while doing the first couple of stances, which is a good thing for fights. I held my leg up before stretching it out in front of me, letting out a side kick and immediately striking my left hand with my right elbow after letting my foot touch the ground. Doing the same in the opposite direction, I continued the sequence of stances ending the first half of it with my fists clenched; one by my side, the other stretched out slightly in front of me. A front kick and two punches in one direction; a front kick and two punches in another, I then did a series of blocking motions, moving slightly forward with each one before ending it in my normal fighting stance. I was surprised when I heard clapping coming from around me. I looked and saw everyone, the Chairman included, applauding.

"_Magnifique."_ Mitsuru smiled at me, "An impressive performance."

"It was fancy, sure; but how is that supposed to help him in a fight?" Junpei asked in some sort of mocking tone.

"He has definitely shown that he knows his stuff." Yukari defended me, "So I would be careful if I were you."

Junpei should have taken that advice to heart, but, unfortunately for him, he didn't.

"…Say Ross, how fast are your reflexes?"

"Why do you ask?" I had my back to him when he asked that, so I only had about a second to realise he was running towards me. I spun around and blocked his left fist before it got anywhere near me. As fast as the first, I parried his right fist and then his left again. This time, I twisted my hand so I could take a hold of his wrist; dragged him forward and made him tumble to the ground. Keeping a hand on his wrist, I placed my knee near where the shoulder was and started applying pressure to it. It didn't take long at all.

"Okay! Okay! I give! I give!" He shouted. After a few seconds, I let him go. He got up and picked up his hat. "…Damn, that was too fast. I didn't even see that coming!"

"That was the simplified version of that throw." I told him while keeping a stoic look on my face, "There wasn't enough room to do the full thing."

He looked surprised and in disbelief about what I said. I took a look around the others, and saw similar looks from the other members of SEES. Ikutsuki cleared his throat and got our attention.

"Now that we're all ready, I think it's time to depart for Tartarus. I wish you the best of luck."

After a few more minutes to make sure we're completely prepared, we went out the dorm. I heard some mutterings from Junpei about me _being stronger than he looks_, and Akihiko's impressed compliments, wanting a match from me sometime. He would get his chance eventually, but for now, we were all heading for the colossal sized tower known only as Tartarus. And somehow, I just knew we were going to be in for a tough fight… If only I knew how tough this journey would truly be…

* * *

Author's Note: 3 days. That's a new record; I hope I can keep that up, maybe even decrease it to 2 someday. Anyway, something I want to point out: if you want to get a good idea of what the kata's I describe actually look like, search up 'Tekken 4 Jin Kata' on YouTube, should be the first result that comes up. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you for the next one.


	5. Chapter 4: Knowledge is Power (Part 2)

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES – Spring of Hope

Author's Note: Didn't quite make that 2 day mark; blame lack of sleep and noisy people for that. Now we're at Tartarus. Tartarus is quite different here than what you're used to. How different is it? Well, that would be telling. So if you spot anything… out of the ordinary, just remember that warning… And try to think of _why _it's there, interested in seeing what you guys can come up with. Anyway, onto review responses:

_KronosFireZeroOne_: That reminds me; I wonder what I'm going to do about THAT particular plot bunny? Of course, I've already figured out what I'm going to do. Just saying that to give you something to think about.

Hope you enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 4: Knowledge is Power (Part 2)

We walked down the cold, desolate streets of Iwatodai on our way to where Tartarus was. Walking down those streets once again in the dark wasn't exactly an exciting prospect for me; regardless, if I wanted to get to the bottom of things, I had to press on.

"Burroughs." I called upon the AI in my gauntlet.

"Yes, Master?"

"Bring up all available apps that I can use."

"Of course." Several holograms appeared from the gauntlet as I walked; detailing the applications that I could currently use. All of them seemed useful; Stephen did not mess around while designing these.

(Auto-Pinpoint: automatically highlights abnormal objects in the environment; Doctor's Code: increases the effectiveness of medicine; Angelic Voice: automatically heals any status effects, such as poison, after a battle; Bullet Rebuttal: creates a virtual space in which you can highlight arguments weak points and rebut them… Not sure when I'll start using that, but man, there are a ton of apps here!)

"McHardy." I heard Mitsuru's voice call out beside me, "I see you're getting used to the gauntlet's interface."

"Yeah, I'll need it when we get into the thick of things."

"…Listen, I think it was a mistake to bring you out here so soon after your recovery." This surprised me to hear her worry like that. Her expression may have been neutral, but her tone told me everything I needed to know. "We didn't scout you for SEES because of your fighting abilities; though that will be a huge help."

"So why did you choose me?" I honestly didn't know why they chose me to become a part of SEES… Maybe I'm a bit more optimistic than most folk, but that ain't anything special.

"…It was because of what else your mentor taught you."

"You mean- -!?"

"Yes." She interrupted, "Why do you think Stephen designed the gauntlet and those apps? Coupled with your desire to search for the truth and your investigative skills, you'll be a valuable asset while we investigate Tartarus. That's why I'm worried about you getting caught up in battle; you won't be able to investigate to your fullest ability if you get injured again."

I wasn't sure what to say in response to that; they wanted to take advantage of my abilities, but to what end? Why did they scout me out and brought me all the way out here when it wasn't my martial arts training that was the reason, when we're clearly going to get into battles? Regardless of the reason, I could help out, and despite any ulterior motives they may have, I wasn't going to let my abilities go to waste.

"...I wouldn't worry about that, Senpei. We'll only fight when it's absolutely necessary; our primary focus will be on the investigation."

"…Good." She smiled at me, "I'll be counting on you."

(Me…? She has that much trust in me, huh?)

About ten minutes later, we finally came to the place that I, from that moment on, would know it as Tartarus… And it just had to be that place.

"This is it? THIS is the place? Why here!?" Junpei vocalised my thoughts perfectly. Akihiko took out his mobile phone and looked at the digital clock on it.

"Just wait a few moments… It's almost midnight." He said with an almost excited smile. I watched the clock as its seconds hand ticked closer to midnight. At precisely 12 A.M, The Dark Hour began. And with it, the building that we knew as Gekkoukan High School twisted and ascended into the heavens as it turned into a colossal tower. The way it was designed… It was impossible to describe and it shouldn't be standing, but it was there… And we were awestruck by what we saw.

"This is Tartarus. The labyrinth that reveals itself during The Dark Hour." Mitsuru explained. Yukari and I were too shocked to say anything, but Junpei was more than willing to say what everyone was thinking.

"Labyrinth…? What are you talking about!? What happened to our school!?"

"Once The Dark Hour passes, everything will return to normal."

Junpei turned to Akihiko, who had a neutral look on his face.

"This was the _nest _you were talking? But why!? Why did our school turn into a giant tower!?"

It was clear after a few seconds that neither of them knew the answer to that question. If we did, we wouldn't be investigating. A fact that became clear to Junpei after a moment.

"… You don't know either?"

"…No." Mitsuru said regrettably.

"I'm sure it's complicated." Yukari jumped in at that moment. You didn't know the half of it, Yukari. "Besides, it wouldn't change our minds about going in there."

"Well, today's the day we start finding out what it is." Akihiko said, "Mitsuru and I went in and cleared the second floor. We're going to get you guys acclimated to investigating inside the tower; give Ross a chance to adjust the gauntlet to his style and to help you guys start functioning as a team."

Everyone started following Akihiko to the front entrance of the tower, but I lagged behind them. I gave my ring, which I took off on the way here and put in my pocket, a light squeeze; looked down at the piece of metal around my neck and then looked at the gauntlets.

(Mother… Jun… Please give me the strength I need to help them…)

~Spring of Hope~

As we entered Tartarus, I took a look around and saw that it bears a resemblance to the front hall of Gekkoukan High. That made me wonder what the floors beyond it are like, but I didn't get to think on it much as Junpei interrupted my thought process… The first of many, many interruptions from him.

"Wow… It looks just as cool on the inside."

"It sure is freaky…" Yukari said in response. A familiar cold feeling crept up my spine and I realised then what that feeling was a few weeks past.

"It was this place the whole time…! Son of a…!"

"What's up?"

"You remember that cold feeling I described a few weeks ago, when we first met Junpei? Yeah, it was THIS place causing it."

"This is only the entrance." Mitsuru started to explain, "The labyrinth lies beyond the doorway at the top of the stairs."

"First, we'll have you three get a feel for this place. We've hidden several SEES armbands throughout the first floor; your first task is to retrieve them and investigate the first floor." Akihiko gave us our task; it seemed simple enough and the floor was clear so we didn't have to worry about Shadows for the time being.

"So you two didn't plan on coming in the first place?" Junpei asked.

"That's right." Akihiko confirmed, "We're also going to appoint a leader to make any necessary decisions."

(A leader?)

"For real? One of us…" Junpei said slowly, before an excited grin popped up on his face, "Oh, oh! Me, me me me me! Pick me!" He shouted, flailing his arms about. Akihiko didn't pay him any mind and immediately pointed to me.

"Ross, you're in charge."

I was surprised by his quick decision. Something like that shouldn't be decided lightly, and I originally thought he was being hasty in his decision, but he had a reason for choosing me as I would find out.

"W-wait, why HIM!? He doesn't look like a leader!" Junpei protested.

"He has fought the Shadows before." Yukari defended and I saw Junpei look at me with something resembling respect.

"Seriously?"

I nodded in affirmation.

"That's true, but there's another reason." Akihiko pointed to the gauntlet, "With the tools at his disposal, we would have a better grasp of the situation if he was the leader. He would be able to make decisions on the fly quickly depending on the situation, and the investigation will go more smoothly. Also…" He pulled his Evoker and pointed at his head; I was a little uncomfortable with the way it was designed to be used at the time, "Can you two summon your Persona without any difficulties like he can?"

"Y-yeah! Of course I can!" Though Junpei put up a front of bravado, I could still tell he was nervous.

"I think so…" Yukari was more honest, which is something I respect about her.

"These are Shadows we're talking about here. Without your Persona, you're screwed." Akihiko warned us needlessly.

"We're all aware of that, Akihiko-senpei. Besides, this is only an investigation exercise, nothing more. We won't have to worry about Shadows tonight, right?"

The three of us that would be going in started walking towards the steps leading to the second floor until a sudden smashing sound stopped me. I turned to my left on instinct and saw a blue door that wasn't there before. I could feel the others eyes looking at me.

"What's wrong?" Yukari asked curiously. I didn't answer; instead I pulled out the key that Igor gave me from my other pocket. Everyone looked at the item in question.

"When did you get that?" Junpei asked.

"I'll tell you later. I think I've found the place where I'll get those apps Stephen was talking about; be right back." I walked to the door with everyone's eyes following my movements. I put the key in the lock, turned it and then opened the door to a blinding light. When I was able to see again, I found myself in the Velvet Room. Igor and Elizabeth were in their usual spots, I stood near the table; having a feeling I wouldn't be staying long.

"I've been waiting for you." Igor started, "The time has come for you to wield your power. The tower that you're about to venture into. How did it come to be? For what purpose does it exist? Ah, regrettably; you are not yet capable of answering these questions… But you will be, in time. For the moment though, you must be made aware of the nature of your abilities."

"My abilities…? Oh, yeah; a guy named Stephen told me you have something important to give me."

"This ties in with what I'm about to tell you… Hold out your left arm, please."

I reluctantly did so, and electricity started shooting out of the gauntlet for a few moments before stopping. Burroughs then began to speak.

"We have obtained the drivers for the Demon Fusion application. This program allows you to fuse two or more Personas into a more powerful one."

"Your abilities are rather unique." Igor explained, "They're like the number zero. It's empty; yet holds infinite potential. You have the power to hold multiple Personas and summon them as needed. You can think of yourself as a Wild Card; holding the power to turn the tide of battle in an instant."

The thought of me holding that much power within myself was baffling, but at the same time, kinda exciting.

"That application I gave you will allow you to use our fusion services at anytime, anyplace. Elizabeth has given you something as well."

(Huh?)

I scrolled through the holograms Burroughs made for me until I found something labelled _Quests_.

"Quests?" I vocalised my confusion to her; she simply smiled at me.

"I'll explain the purpose of that when the time is right."

"And when you have defeated those that stand in the way of the truth; the various facets of your soul will reveal themselves to you." Igor continued, "At times, they may seem difficult to control; but do not fear, seize what you have earned. Your power will grow accordingly; be sure to keep that in mind… My spare time will soon be scarce. But please, come again of your own accord. If you need assistance in your journey, I'll do what I can to aid you. Until then, farewell."

I bid farewell to Igor and Elizabeth and left the Velvet Room. When I was able to see the entrance to Tartarus again, I saw Yukari and Junpei staring at me.

"Are you OK?" Yukari asked worriedly.

"Yeah, you looked like a zombie for a while there."

(They don't notice the door? Hmm… Best be silent about this, trying to explain this will take too much time.)

"Burroughs." I said to the gauntlet. She knew what I wanted to show.

"Of course." She pulled up the application I got from Igor.

"The Demon Fusion app…?" Yukari asked tentatively.

"It'll come in handy later on." Was all I said on the matter before closing the app. We all headed for the stairs shortly after; no further questions asked. As we ascended to the door, I thought of what could be on the other side. Even if it was the most nightmarish thing possible, I wouldn't turn my back on it now. Not as long as I remain standing and not as long as the mystery went unsolved.

~Spring of Hope~

The second floor of Tartarus was about as creepy as it can get. Chequered floors, lined with blood stained walls with a green hue. It gave off a dark atmosphere that unnerved all of us.

"So, this is it?" Junpei said.

"I hope I don't get lost…" Yukari said to herself.

A sudden beeping sound came from the gauntlet, and then Mitsuru's voice came out through the speakers.

"Can you all hear me?"

"Whoa! Is that you, Senpei?"

(Who exactly did you think that was, Junpei? Morrigan from Darkstalkers?)

"I'll be providing audio backup from here on out." She told us.

"You can tell what's going on in here, Senpei?" I asked, curious about how she was going to provide backup while we investigate.

"I have a direct feed from your gauntlet. My Persona, Pentheselia, can also help me see inside Tartarus but my range is limited. This way, I'll be able to have a clear view of what's going on at all times. It's very helpful, since the structure of Tartarus changes from day to day. That's why outside support is imperative."

"Wait a minute; you mean that the floors of Tartarus are RANDOMISED?" I asked in disbelief. Add one more problem we had to deal with.

"Well, THAT makes me feel a whole lot better." Yukari snarked, feeling the same way I did about the situation.

"Now, begin the mission to recover those armbands. Work as a team and you'll get it done quickly. Practice makes perfect, after all."

"Roger." I cut off communications with Mitsuru soon after. I managed to catch something Yukari said that I don't think she intended for anyone to hear. Whether she accidently said it out loud or not is something I don't know, but I heard it anyway.

"…Why is she always like that?"

(Now what does she mean by _that_? Hmm… I'll see if she reveals anything else before seeing if I can do something.)

For the moment though, I knew I couldn't do anything. So I played ignorant and looked at my left gauntlet once more.

"Burroughs." I seem to use that as a call sign of sorts, I just noticed; something to let Burroughs know she's needed. I kept using it out of habit since I got the gauntlet, I don't know exactly why… Probably because it's fun to say.

"Yes, Master?"

"Scan the area and produce a map of our surroundings." I ordered. Burroughs went to work, scanning the environment and a hologram containing a map showed up beside me. Along with it was some information on the block we were in.

"So we're in the Thebel block, are we…? Is it possible for you to duplicate the map and have it follow Yukari and Junpei, Burroughs?"

"Certainly, Master. Would you like me to do it right now?"

"Yes Burroughs, please." As soon as I said it, two more maps showed up and hovered beside Yukari and Junpei.

(There. That should make our exploration a little easier.)

"Hmm…" I examined the map and saw nothing on it other than the outlines of the walls and our position, "Seems like we have to mark points of interest ourselves; any particular reason for that?"

"It's to conserve on memory. Some of the bigger applications would not be feasible if we have the map cover everything possible. You can mark points of interest by using your finger to draw it. In the event of an emergency, you can also draw the maps yourself by dragging your finger across the hologram."

"Drawing your own maps?" I said with much amusement, "Damn, now THAT'S old school right there."

"It still works very well." I was glad to see Burroughs was as sociable as a human; it made the exploration more fun to have her joking around with us.

"Ain't that the truth." I responded with a smile, "Alright everyone, listen up. Since we have to mark things out on our own, we have to work as a team." I told Yukari and Junpei, who were listening intently. Well, Yukari was listening intently, Junpei was looking more absent minded, but he was still listening, which was good. I drew a circle where our markers were, and saw that they appeared on the others maps as well.

(That will come in handy. Everyone can just mark stuff for others to see.)

"_This _is our starting point. Any trouble comes around, we meet up here." I ordered, "Now, Burroughs can show us the layout of the floor each time we enter in here, but it's up to us to keep our maps up to date. Without a good map, we're as good as lost, so mark anything interesting you see with a cross. It'll update on everyone's maps so we know that place is already searched or is something worth investigating."

"It sounds like you've done this sort of thing before." Yukari pointed out, sounding a little impressed. I realised then I was going on a bit of a tangent and rubbed the back of my neck in embarrassment.

"I may have done some orienteering when I was younger."

"Orienteering…? What's that?"

Yukari and I looked at Junpei, stupefied at what he said. I turned my head slowly back to the map.

"…Anyway. I'll assign colours to our markers to let everyone know who is who. Junpei, you'll be coloured red, I will be coloured blue and Yukari, you'll be green. Now, are we all clear on this?"

Both of them nodded.

"Alright, now move out." I ordered and we move forward into the Thebel block. We quickly came to a fork in our path. Three paths: one going north; one going east and one going west. Without a word, we split up; each of us going down our own path. Yukari and Junpei handled things very well, marking any armbands they found with a cross and any treasure they found with a triangle; under my orders after Junpei found a suitcase with some medicine inside. I also found a staircase which I didn't mark because we weren't going any higher that day. Eventually, I found the last armband hiding near some strange device.

"Guys, I found the last of the armbands but there's something weird here also."

"Ah, that's an Access Point." Mitsuru chimed in, "You can use it to return to the entrance at any point during your exploration. Since you're done with the task you were given, call the others over and come back to the entrance."

I did just that, and using said Access Point, we teleported back to the first floor. It was a very weird feeling; it felt very floaty and not like being teleported at all. It was like we were flying back down to the first floor rather than being beamed over there or something like that. Once we got back, we saw Mitsuru and Akihiko waiting for us near the stairs.

"Welcome back. You accomplished your task faster than I expected." Mitsuru said with pride in her voice.

"Yeah, you three work well as a team." Akihiko told us also with a smile.

"Well… That's because we have a good leader." I heard Yukari say.

(I don't think I deserve that kind of praise. I only did what I thought was best.)

"Before we head back to the dorm, there is one last thing I want to make sure McHardy knows how to use with his gauntlet." Mitsuru gave me a quick glance before looking at the others once more. It was like she was hinting something there. "To that end, I want you all to describe what you saw during your investigation."

(What is she up to…? Oh right! That app; that's what she's talking about!)

"Burroughs." I said as soon as I had that thought, "Load up the Bullet Rebuttal app."

"Of course."

Suddenly, some kind of virtual space spread out from beneath my feet and stopped right when it passed Yukari and Junpei, creating a huge square.

"To refute an argument, use your hand to highlight the weak point and then speak a special phrase to break it. The phrase you use is entirely to your discretion, Master."

(What does she mean '_break it'_…?)

Junpei and Yukari seemed surprised to see this virtual square surround them, but I didn't make a big fuss over it and waited until they started speaking.

"Um, where do I start…? The place had a dark and creepy atmosphere to it." Yukari said. To my surprise, as she said that, a floating hologram of what she said appeared in the middle of the square for a few seconds before disappearing. Yukari and Junpei were surprised as well, but Mitsuru urged them to keep going.

"Um… There was some treasure around also. Found some medicine in it." Junpei said nervously, "There also wasn't any way to get to the next floor."

(What?)

"I mean, it's quite strange. Since it's a tower, I would expect some stairs at least, but there isn't any."

As soon as Junpei said that, I highlighted the words '_but there isn't any'_.

"_Sore wa chigau yo!_" I shouted, purely by instinct, and a hologram of a bullet shot straight at the highlighted point and broke it. I watched as the highlighted words smashed into tiny pieces. And Junpei could only watch as his words were broken right in front of him.

"Actually, Junpei; there was a flight of stairs that I found while we investigated." I explained, "They seem to lead up to the next floor."

Off to the side, I could hear Akihiko chuckling.

"It looks like you were right, Mitsuru." He said.

"Indeed." She replied, smiling at the three of us.

"Can someone explain what the hell just happened!?" Junpei asked loudly, his ego a little bruised by the event.

"McHardy just pointed out a flaw in what you said." Mitsuru explained to us, "And he's right; there are stairs leading up to the floors above. I'll let Burroughs explain exactly what that app is for."

"Certainly." Burroughs appeared before us, "The Bullet Rebuttal app is designed mainly as a psychological weapon; seeing their arguments literally shot down right in front of them can have a devastating effect on morale, as demonstrated by Junpei over there. That isn't all it's for though. It's also designed to help my Master focus on what's being said, and avoid being distracted by any background noise. It helps eliminate the lies and, ultimately, helps you uncover the truth."

We all stood there, absolutely silent while Burroughs explained the application. Knowing fully what it was now, I had a feeling we would be making great use of the app. We started getting ready to go until I saw something I missed when we were here a while back. It was tucked away at the back; a door, white as it could be, stood tall and loomed over us.

"Hey, Mitsuru-senpei; what's that door over there?" I asked, hoping it isn't something to worry about.

"Oh… That door." She said, she looked exhausted just from looking at it, "That door's been there since Tartarus first appeared. We tried many times to get in, but it's sealed tight. For now, there's no way to see what's on the other side."

Feeling that I wouldn't get any more answers, I let the subject drop. As we left and The Dark Hour ended, I felt an overwhelming feeling of relief go through me. Just being there gave me a feeling of dread I hadn't felt in a long time. There was no way to sugarcoat it; we were going to go through hell on our journey. At least I could take comfort in the fact that I wouldn't be alone… And sometimes, that's all you really need to keep going.

* * *

Author's Note: Wow, I powered through that last segment rather easily. Just goes to show what a little inspiration can do. Alright, there isn't anything new to say here, other than the usual: review if you liked it so far, didn't like it, whatever. I'm open to constructive criticism… Just be gentle about it. See you for the next chapter, take care now.


	6. Chapter 5: A Reunion Marred By Despair

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES – Spring of Hope

Author's Note: I'm very late with this, you can blame two things for that: Mighty No. 9 and some other projects I'm trying to get off the ground; hopefully, I can talk about those with you all at some point, though a bigger audience would make me more confident about doing so (or it could be the complete opposite, not really sure how I would react.) Anyway, onto review responses:

_KronosFireZeroOne_: Oh, there will be hijinks, but not quite the ones you're probably thinking of. Regardless, it'll be funny… Probably.

I hope you enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 5: A Reunion Marred By Despair

I wasn't sure who was in worse shape: me, Yukari or Junpei. Running around in The Dark Hour was more strenuous than I thought and, regardless of not actually fighting, had left us exhausted. Even though we were drained of energy, we still had to go to school. The morning classes passed us by, though I didn't pay attention. Wasn't that smart in the long run, but considering what the math teacher was like, nobody blamed me for letting my mind wander. I took a look outside the window; seeing the petals from the sakura trees blowing in the wind.

(Sakura trees… They symbolise mortality… Even though I know full well how fragile life is, I don't think I'll ever get used to it… And I don't think I want to.)

I didn't know how long I stared out the window, watching the trees. Yukari eventually pulled my attention back to the front of the class when Miss Toriumi said that she had an announcement to make. It was almost lunch time, so I decided to listen in case it was important. Boy was I in for a shock.

"As some of you are aware, I will be transferring to Yasagami High School in Inaba for the reminder of the year." She told us, "As such, I thought I would introduce you all to my substitute. She was originally assigned to be an assistant and specifically requested this class. Since I'll be moving, the Headmaster thought it best to have her be my replacement while I'm gone."

The class started to whisper about the news. Mostly speculation about who the mysterious substitute teacher is. Now, I _would_ like to say The Gang was above that, but we weren't.

"Who do you think the new teach' is?" Junpei whispered excitedly to Yukari and I, "It's a she!"

"Calm down." I whispered back deadpanned, "It isn't something to get excited about."

Oh how wrong I was. The door suddenly slid open and all eyes were upon on. My eyes widened when I saw who walked in.

"No way…" I said out loud. Curious glances were shot my way, but I ignored them; I was completely focused on who our new teacher was. She walked with confidence, and even though I was sure that the clothes; predominantly white with a bird motif, a black belt, a short black cloak tied loosely around her neck and sandals, were not the usual fare for a teacher, I wouldn't have had it any other way. Her long black hair held up by a headband and pretty face just added to her beauty. I was surprised to see this with my own two eyes, but that was indeed my mentor, and mother figure. And I couldn't have been happier to see her. I stood up from my seat, almost subconsciously.

"…Jun?" I said in disbelief; like this was all just a dream and I would wake up at any moment. To my everlasting joy, and after subtly pinching myself just to make sure, it wasn't a dream. My voice was shaking, ever so fragile and sounded like it could break at any moment. She locked eyes with me from across the room, and simply smiled. I took a nervous step forward, then another, then another until I was standing right in front of her. For three years, I had wondered what I would do if I ever saw her again. Maybe I would say something silly, or give a funny quip, or maybe even berate her for running off without telling me anything, but I didn't do any of those things. No… I hugged her. I held onto her for dear life, and felt tears welling up in my eyes when she returned that hug. It sounds incredibly cheesy, and to some, it may be. I didn't really care what it looked like to the others though, I wanted this; no, I _needed_ this. I smiled as I held her, letting a few tears escape, and said the first thing that came to mind. It was just five words, but it held more weight than anyone in the room could imagine, and I poured every ounce of emotion into it:

"I missed you so much."

~Spring of Hope~

Lunch time rolled around soon after, though the class was let out early. Something told me that Miss Toriumi and the faculty planned this to a degree.

(Must make a note to have Burroughs remind me to thank them a million times over later.)

Jun and I sat at the table in the canteen. Not saying a word. I still couldn't believe she was right there in front of me. I brought a hand up to my mouth and cleared my throat; I wasn't sure where to begin. Three years of questions, emotions all bottled up, and when I finally saw her again, I choke up. I wanted to say something, desperately, but I didn't have a clue what. Thankfully, I didn't have to speak first.

"How long has it been?" She asked, her angelic voice reaching my ears. I didn't answer. It wasn't that I didn't know, I knew _exactly_ how long it had been; but I was hesitant to answer.

"Talk to me. Let me hear your voice." She pleaded, though it didn't sound like it. She and I knew how we were feeling just from how we react to each other. And she knew I could see the emotions that she didn't show to the outside world.

"…It's been 3 years; 72 days and 18 hours." I answered eventually.

"You've lost weight." She said in such a matter of fact tone that I couldn't help but be surprised.

"You can tell just from the sound of my voice?" I asked. I really shouldn't have been surprised, but I forgot how blunt she could be at times.

"Of course I can. I know all about you."

I wasn't going to deny that. She and I were with each other for 10 years; a very long time. And in turn, I knew all about her… At least, I thought I did.

"… Why did you disappear so suddenly?" That was the question that had plagued me since I saw her.

"I had a very important task to carry out." She answered immediately, "… You didn't need me anymore." I could see the pain on her face as she said it. It was like she had to force that sentence out.

"That isn't true! I…" I was lost on what to say.

"I didn't want you to get involved with this. It was too dangerous… Though I did keep an eye on you all this time." She smiled at me.

"You were watching?" I asked calmly.

"You're my pupil. Of course I want to make sure you're safe… By the way, all that running about you and your friends did in Tokyo a year ago; what were you up to?"

I kept a stoic look, hiding my surprise from her, though I knew it didn't work very well. I looked around the room, seeing that nobody was looking or within ear shot. So I leaned in, and she did so as well.

"Algon Soft." I whispered. Her reaction was immediate.

"Ah, goddamnit!" She laughed as she said that, "I wanted them!" This drew some looks from people, but we were in the habit of not giving a shit about that. I gave a light chuckle at her reaction.

"You were too slow. Besides, that job wasn't meant to be tackled alone." I said, a bit of my fatigue managed to slip out and, like a hawk, Jun managed to catch it.

"You sound tired… Are you OK? I know you've been in the hospital for a while."

"I'm… fine."

"Fine?" She asked, sounding amused, "You know what _fine_ stands for."

"Yeah, unfortunately."

"Freaked out; Insecure, Neurotic- -"

"And Emotional." I finished for her, remembering the fun little acronym we picked up from some movie we watched a long time ago. It stuck with us, and we've used that ever since then whenever we claim to be _'fine'_. "Seriously though, I haven't been able to get much sleep."

"…Don't push yourself too hard. I don't know what you're doing that could have caused those injuries, but you were lucky to survive all that. Don't push your luck."

Very poignant words and a grim reminder of my mortality. I was lucky; I'm not going to deny it and next time, I might not be as lucky. I might make a bad judgement call, or the Shadows might decide to gang up on me with powerful attacks, or maybe even a freak instant death skill might make its presence known and manage to hit me. With these thoughts in mind, I made direct eye contact with Jun.

"I'm not going to sit here and try to lie to you. I respect you too much. And even though this might go against my better judgement, I would rather have you know what's going on than keeping you in the dark… The others can probably explain it better than I because, to be honest, I don't fully know what's going on either."

"Fighting for a cause you don't know much about? That isn't like you."

"Well, I have my own mysteries to solve… So where are you staying?" I asked curiously.

"A hotel not too far from here…" She answered, "Listen, are you free this afternoon?"

"I think so. Why?"

"Do you… want to go to Hagakure, get something to eat and catch up? I'm sorry for leaving without telling you anything. That was a mistake, but I want to make up for it. Besides, we haven't done anything like that in a long time."

"…Yeah, I would love that." I agreed with a smile on my face. Looking over Jun's shoulder, I saw Yukari and Junpei walking towards us. We both stood up and faced them, "Yukari Takeba; Junpei Iori, allow me to introduce you to Jun Kazama; my mentor."

"Wait a sec, you wouldn't happen to be the person they based- -" Junpei started to ask, but Jun laughed when she figured out what he was going to say.

"No. There's no relation there, though Ross here already gave me shit about it."

"And I probably WON'T stop giving you shit about it." I laughed along with her. It was too funny a coincidence, I just couldn't resist. She paid back my teasing in spades, but not at this moment.

"Need I mention a certain show?" Instead, she decided to go _there_.

"Oh, you're really going there?" Though she was nine years my senior, she can be as immature as me at times; and that's quite an accomplishment. I shook my head, "Anyway, I have to go use the washroom, you three get to know each other while I'm gone."

I stood and started walking in the direction of the toilets. While I walked through the halls, I started to think on how the day went. I had met my mentor again after a long time and I hadn't felt as happy as I did in a long time. What else could make this day better? Nothing, I thought to myself, nothing could make this day better. Instead, it'll take a nosedive from good to horrible to downright lunacy. How could such a good day go to crap? Well, you'll probably find out in about 20 seconds or so, depending on fast you read. I got to the toilets and noticed a peculiar smell in the air. It smelled familiar but it wasn't pleasant. I followed the smell into the bathroom, and saw a trail of blood leading into one of the cubicles. I could feel my heart start to beat rapidly; I was afraid of what I could see behind it, but my compulsive nature led me to open the door slowly. I wished I hadn't. I saw a horrifying sight; a student covered in blood, seeping out of the wound in his chest. How could I be sure it was his chest? Because the murder weapon, a knife, was still lodged in there. I was sure of it: this man is dead. Images of what happened 13 years ago flashed in my mind, causing me to hyperventilate. I was scared witless at what I saw; I'm not a shining example of bravery, no matter what people expect of me. All I could was do things to the best of my ability, but how was I supposed to deal with this? I'm not perfect. The only thing that I could do in this kind of situation is panic

"AHHHHHHHHHH!" I let out a pained scream, and collapsed onto the cold tiles below. Not knowing that things were about to get far, far worse.

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Author's Note: Wow, I'm very, very super late with this. I apologise for the wait, but had a bit of a cold the past few days. Don't know why I'm getting sick all the time so suddenly. Perhaps it's because it's getting so close to winter; every time without fail, I get sick during the winter period. Enough bitching though. Things are starting to kick off; what will happen to our heroes? Why was a dead body in the bathroom? Who could have committed this crime? Leave your thoughts via review, and share any theories you may have, I'm curious to hear them. In any case, I'll see you for the next chapter. Also, sorry about the short chapter, originally wanted to make this longer, but it would have become _too_ long for me to handle editing wise.


	7. Chapter 6: Freedom or Servitude?

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES – Spring of Hope

Author's Note: Not much to say here. Things happened and now our heroes have to deal with it. Alright, time for the review responses:

_KronosFireZeroOne_: Haha, I managed to fool you for a sec, didn't I? Can't trust one's first impressions at times. Though I'm surprised you didn't catch the reference I sneaked in a few chapters ago… And you know the thing I was worried about? It's the action sequences. The first of which is in this chapter.

Hope you enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 6: Freedom or Servitude?

"AHHH!" I sat upright in the bed I was in, panting and sweating. I looked around slightly and saw that I was in the Nurse's office. I let myself fall back onto the bed, now looking up at the ceiling. Images of what happened before I lost consciousness played back in my mind and I started shivering at the graphic detail of it all. I curled up into a ball and stayed like that… Seeing the body brought back terrible memories of what happened on that bridge, and I just couldn't take it. It was too much. I had panic attacks before; one I am sure made my heart stop for a second. Every time it happened, I was alone. I think it was a miracle I was still as sane as I was. That day also served as a wake-up call to my new situation. As I lay there, breath shaky and heavy from fear, I felt a pair of arms wrap around me. I instinctively move back into the embrace, thankful for the comfort even though I feel horrible for making people worry enough to make them feel they have to comfort me.

"You're okay now." Yukari's voice said to me, "When I heard that scream, I feared the worse. I'm so glad you're safe."

I twisted myself around to look at her. She looked so worried; I felt so bad for putting her through this kind of situation again. It wouldn't be the last time, unfortunately.

"Wha… What's going on?" I asked. Though her hug had a calming effect on me, it didn't keep my voice from quaking in fear.

"As soon as we found you, Mitsuru-senpei called the police. The school was evacuated, save for the SEES members and Kazama-senpei."

"Why's Jun staying?" I asked curiously.

"She insisted. And Mitsuru-senpei knows that having your mentor helping out would speed up the investigation."

"Why aren't we leaving that up to the police?" I asked nervously. I didn't like the idea of seeing the body again, even if it was to help find the culprit.

"We would, but there's a problem…" I could tell from the solemn look on her face and her tone of voice exactly what was wrong.

"…The students think I did it, don't they?"

"…Yes." She let go of me and gave me space to move.

"I don't blame them for suspecting me, but can't I go five weeks without being accused of something?" I said more to myself as I lifted myself off from the bed and started walking out the room with Yukari following close behind.

"This has happened before?" She inquired.

"When I first started high school, within the first two weeks; I was accused of beating up a bunch of school bullies."

"Did you?"

"Yes, but that's beside the point." I turned the corner and walked down the corridor leading to the bathroom all the while fighting off dizziness, "So I have to help discover who the culprit is, clear my name while helping explore Tartarus? I suppose there are worse things that could have happened."

"That is actually one of the reasons why the police are only guarding the school." Yukari explained, "Senpei suspects that it may not be a human who did this."

(Wait… A Shadow did this? That's weird, I thought Shadows left their victims alive but in a catatonic state… Ugh, my head…)

I suddenly had to lean against the wall, still feeling a little disoriented from the shock. Almost immediately, I could feel Yukari help me keep my balance, but I initially tried to push her away.

"I'll be alright." I took two steps and nearly fell over. Again, Yukari held my lower back area while swinging my left arm around her shoulder.

"There's no need to do everything on your own." She told me softly, "We're all here to help… I'm here."

"Yukari…" I was in no condition to argue back and, to be honest, I didn't really want to. So I let her help me to the scene of the crime where Mitsuru was waiting for us.

"McHardy; how are you feeling?" She asked me. She looked tired; I suppose we all were.

"Could be worse, I suppose." I tell her. Thinking back on this in retrospect, I'm surprised at how fatigued I was. This is, of course, thinking back on what happened since that moment. "Where's Jun?"

"She's waiting in the front hall… I know this isn't a happy prospect, but we need your help."

"I know. You asked for my help, and that's what you'll get. It is what I signed on for."

"…Okay." She reached into a bag she had with her and pulled out the gauntlet. She helped me put it on and it started up automatically.

"Master." That voice sounded like heaven at that moment.

"Burroughs." I greeted back, tired and ragged.

"You look exhausted. Are you alright?"

"I know, and I'm fine." I replied, "Has the situation been explained to you?"

"Yes. Yukari was sent back to retrieve me and she explained what was happening along the way."

(Alright. Saves me having to explain… Something's wrong here.)

I tried looking around to the best of my ability but I had no luck spotting anything out of the ordinary, though that weird sensation stayed. I saw Jun from the corner of my eye. As soon as she saw me, she rushed over and enveloped me in a hug. We didn't say anything. She knew that I was terrified, and I was glad that she was still there. There wasn't much time though, we both knew that.

"Mitsuru explained what you've been doing." She said, "I'll do what I can to help."

(Heh, that's just like you.)

"Thanks." I said with a smile, "It's a shame you can't be there with us."

"I'm sure you won't complain about getting a decent fight now and again."

"I suppose that's true." We let go of each other, and Yukari was right there by my side again to help me. I looked down and gave her a small smile, feeling happy when she returned it with her own. I was never really able to connect with people, but something about Yukari drew me towards her. I can't really explain why without some context, but that's for another time. She helped me towards the bathroom, where we started the investigation. The blood stained walls and floors were left untouched along with the body; it produced a foul stench that made me feel nauseous. I pressed onward though, I had to be strong. The investigation proceeded smoothly, a little too smoothly. I became suspicious at all this evidence we found.

(A knife. Blood everywhere. Two sets of footprints. Rubber gloves in the toilet container… If you wanted to hide evidence, this is not the way to do it. It's too obvious…)

Another thing that bugged me was that we couldn't identify the corpse. I mean, there was absolutely no trace of this person at all. No ID, no identifiable features; Burroughs even checked the school records, police records and even the Internet using facial recognition technology and nothing came up. The guy is literally a ghost… Better not say that around Yukari; not the biggest fan of spooky stuff. Regardless, we had more than enough evidence to clear my name; but something told me that isn't what I should have worried about.

"I know what you're thinking." Jun told me when I turned to look at her, "And yes, you're right. We need to be very careful here."

"Mind letting me in on what's going on?" I had forgotten that Yukari wasn't as quick as we were to figuring out stuff… She will be, soon enough.

"We need to be cautious." I tell her, "Or we'll probably make a huge mistake."

I couldn't shake the feeling we were missing something. Something big. I tried thinking of the obvious things I could have missed, but I turned up nothing. Surprisingly, at the time, it wasn't me or Jun who spotted it.

"The closer you get to the light, the greater your darkness becomes."

"Huh?" I looked at Yukari who was looking up at the ceiling. Sure enough, when I looked up, what she said was written there, in blood. Below it was another message.

"Be careful Takeba." I read it out loud, "Your next move is critical."

I felt her shiver against me. Before she could panic, I drew her closer to me.

"Calm down. Is there something you noticed that didn't seem connected to this…?" There was no answer, "Think!"

"I… I noticed something while we were in that hallway. I didn't actually see anything but…"

"You felt it." I said so surely. How did I know? Well, because I felt something similar when I was in the hallway before.

"Yes." She nodded. We exited the bathroom and slowly headed for the place where we both felt that sensation. We didn't have to look long, as it turned out; we were standing right on top of it, and we didn't even notice.

"That is strange." I said while rubbing over one particular spot on the floor with my hand, "I should have noticed this beforehand… Did you ever come down this hallway at all?"

"No. When I went to the archery club, I always use those stairs over there… Why can we sense that?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"I dunno. Perhaps because we're Persona users, we're more in-tune to the strange energies of Tartarus or…"

"Or what…?"

"…Or perhaps we could be crazy, I'm not entirely sure."

"Don't even kid around like that."

"Sorry."

I examined the spot more closely, making my hand hover over it. Yukari was oddly silent, and I could guess why that was.

"…Why was that message for me?" She asked, sounding so afraid.

"I'm not sure." I honestly had no idea why, "Maybe you're special in some way."

"I'm nothing, really. If anyone's special around here, it's you."

Though she could make an argument for that, the way she put herself down like that to make her point was something that didn't sit well with me.

"I'm just someone who's probably in over his head with this. Don't make yourself seem inferior to me, because you're not."

"…I'm scared. I don't know what to do." Her voice quivered with fear. I didn't blame her; suddenly being called upon to make an important decision can make even the bravest of people shiver. She wasn't alone however, and I intended to remind her of that.

"Do you really think I would leave my partner to do this by herself?" That word: _partner_. It can imply many things, but that was the strongest word I can think of to describe my feelings for her at the time. I knew she had my back, and she now knew that I wasn't going to abandon her to face this on her own. She looked at me, shock locked onto her features. I simply smiled at her, and after a while; she gave a bright smile of her own.

(There's the Yukari I know.)

"I don't know what kind of decision you'll have to make, but I'll be with you all the way. I promise."

"…Thank you."

It seemed that I managed to quell her fears. Feeling satisfied, I turned my focus back to the mysterious energy that we kept sensing. After a few moments of trying to feel anything, I closed my eyes. And that's when it happened. A vision appeared in my mind.

(Whoa! What in the hell…!? Is that Tartarus? Ugh, I can't tell what floor that is! It's definitely the Thebel block though… Is that fighting I hear? Sounds metallic in nature; could be swords, could be bows, could be anything. I wish I could see what's going on… Wait, it's clearing up! Just a little more… Agh! My head!)

I was sent flying down the hallway by a sudden force, and ended up crashing into a wall.

(Ouch…! That's going to leave a bruise.)

"Are you alright!?" I hear Mitsuru scream as her, Jun and Yukari ran to check on me. I was, however, too pissed for that to even register with me.

"Damn it! I was so close to figuring it out as well!"

"…It's gone." Yukari announced to us. I knew what she meant; I couldn't sense the energy anymore either.

"What's gone? What do you mean?" Mitsuru asked us.

"You saw that too, right?" I asked Yukari, accidentally ignoring Mitsuru. I was so close to figuring out what was going on, I was becoming desperate.

"Yeah, I didn't see much, but that was definitely Tartarus."

(She saw it as well. So I wasn't going crazy.)

After giving it a few seconds, I looked at Mitsuru.

"Gather the others, Senpei. We're going to Tartarus tonight. If we make it to that floor, we might catch who murdered that man!"

~Spring of Hope~

Later that night, during the Dark Hour, we explored the depths of Tartarus. Taking out, or avoiding, Shadows as we ascended each floor. Until eventually, we reached the 10th floor. I immediately recognized it from that vision, and so did Yukari; going by her reaction.

"Be careful, you three." Mitsuru chimed in from the gauntlet, "I sense something powerful. I don't know what it is, but proceed with caution." As soon as she signed out, Burroughs appeared before us.

"There is a chance we might get into an unavoidable battle. Do you want to go on?"

I looked at Junpei and Yukari, who nodded; telling me that they're ready for whatever lies ahead.

"I think we're ready for this. Besides, we don't have a choice."

"Okay, but be careful." Burroughs disappeared. With our weapons at the ready, we walked down the narrow hallways. Looking over our shoulders and scanning the environment for anything out of the ordinary, besides the obvious stuff. It didn't take us long to find what we were looking for.

"Greetings, humans." A cold, metallic voice spoke from the darkness. We got into a defensive pose as soon as it said that. We looked around, but there wasn't any sign of it.

"Show yourself." I called out. A few seconds later, I got my wish. I heard the distinct sound of a chainsaw getting closer and closer. We turned around and saw the aforementioned object heading towards us at a very fast speed. Yukari and Junpei got out of the way but I wasn't quick enough. I had to resort to bending over backwards to dodge the blade. Though I was successful, I did see a bit of my hair get sawed off… A necessary sacrifice. I ended up flat on my back, and before I got a chance to breath, it attacked again. This time, coming from above, it tried a direct attack with its chainsaw. Quickly, I brought up my gauntlets to guard it, and I was lucky the steel was strong enough to resist the weapon. I got a good look at my assailant as it tried to end me: it was a machine, in the appearance of a wolf; it had a red casing on its… I suppose you can call it face, to protect its main processor. The chainsaw was attached to its tail and the claws that tried to pin me down were sharp, though it wasn't using them to attack me. I managed to get some of my movement back, and kicked it off me. I immediately turn to face it in a fighting stance with Yukari and Junpei right behind me.

"And you are?" I asked it, a little bit annoyed that it tried to kill us

"I am IF Prototype LB-0131." It answered in that same cold tone of voice.

"IF Prototype?" I said, confused. I never heard the term before that moment.

"Interface Prototype. All autonomous UGs feature high-level onboard artificial intelligence." It explained, "An additional prototype interface enables verbal communication. I possess an intellect far beyond human reckoning."

"You don't say?" I was amused by its confidence, "Okay then: What's the meaning of life? Why are we here?"

It wasn't having any of that Logic Bomb nonsense. It threw knives in our direction using its tail, the chainsaw stored on its back. In response, Yukari and Junpei ducked while I roundhouse kick them; making most of them fly away from us, with the exception of one which ended up stuck in my boot.

"I am here to kill you."

We stayed in our positions for a few seconds, me suspending my leg in the air. I noticed that the blade of the knife was bright red for a second before it cooled off. I brought my leg down and, using my foot, flicked the knife into the air behind my back, over my head and caught it in my right hand.

"…That's it?" I asked, examining the knife from different angles, "Pretty simple thinking for such an almighty intellect." I threw the knife onto the ground behind me, it making a satisfying noise as it hit the floor.

"I may analyse orders, but I may not disobey them." It explained as it drove its chainsaw into the ground in front of it, cutting a curved crevice around itself, "Should I disobey a direct order, my memory would be wiped. I must destroy you."

"What good's intelligence if you can't use it?" I asked sincerely, tapping my head where the brain is. Whoever built it gave it intelligence beyond that of a normal human but all they use it for is for war? That made me more than uncomfortable.

"Your taunting is pointless. Exterminate!" It jumped from the ground into an open area behind it. We all got into a defensive stance as it gave a loud howl. I give the wolf one thing: it was fast. Faster than any Shadow we fought so far. It leap around the battlefield like a predator, and we were its prey. We had the advantage of outnumbering it, but it didn't matter; its speed and weaponry more than made up for it, forcing me to push myself even further than normal.

"Ugh, that things fast!" I said out loud, after watching it run from one side of the room to the other in 3 seconds flat.

"Yes. Faster than all of you combined I suspect." Mitsuru chimed in, "In terms of pure speed, you can't match it. But it cannot run circles around you forever; it will have to attack if it wants to kill you."

"Yeah, that will be my best shot to do some damage."

"_Oui_. Don't bother chasing it. Let it come to you. If you can dodge or parry its blows, you'll have an opportunity to counterattack. Watch its movements and wait for the right moment."

"Textbook battle tactics – no need to remind me."

What it did after I finished that sentence caught me off guard as I wasn't expecting it: it jumped from the ground, off the wall and crashed into me, sending me skidding across the floor. I quickly looked up and saw the wolf trying for a kill strike with its claws. I rolled out of the way, and using its moment of confusion, combo it with a one-two strike with my fists, a rolling punch, two spinning kicks and an uppercut that caused it to go flying to the other side of the room.

"A savvy warrior uses all of its tools." It said as it got out of the way of the battle, "Backup required!" It let out a howl and, suddenly, three Shadows in the guise of eagles appeared, and were heading straight for us.

"It called for reinforcements!?" Mitsuru shouted.

"Tch. Crafty bastard." I muttered under my breath.

"This could be trouble."

"Maybe. Then again, maybe not. They don't look that tough; we should be able to handle it."

"Hmm… Still, be careful."

We were careful in our approach to this new enemy, but we found out quickly that Yukari's bow worked very well against them and we took down the first eagle cleanly.

"Are we both here only to fight, then?" The wolf asked, sounding like it was actually contemplating this exact question. I ignored it and focused on the second and third eagles. Yukari's well skilled shots with her bow sent them crashing to the ground.

"Here's our chance. Let's do this!" Junpei shouted, calling for a team attack. I nodded, silently giving the order to charge in, "Come here, ya son of a- -!"

The rest of his sentence was drowned out by the sounds of our weapons and crashing of fist against matter. After our onslaught, they still weren't dead. I looked at Yukari, who nodded; we knew exactly what we were going to do. I rushed in, and gave a flurry of punches, ending with a powerful kick that sent it into the air. Yukari was ready with her arrows, and fired two of them at the same time, piercing through and killing it.

"What do you fight for?" The wolf asked. I didn't notice at the time, too busy trying to stay alive and all that, but it was like it was directing that question specifically at me. The third eagle was a little tougher to take down. It was strong, so Junpei and I matched that strength with our own. I let out some powerful haymakers which stunned it, and then launched it into the air.

"Junpei!" I called out as I got ready; cupping my hands to give him a foothold.

"Right!" He ran towards me, and when he stepped onto the makeshift platform, I gave him a boost up into the air; high enough so he would be eye level with the beast. Using his katana, he slashed the eagle into separate pieces. Junpei was unskilled with a katana; preferring to swing it like a baseball bat rather than a sword. It got the job done though, as that swing took off the eagles mask and caused it to disappear.

"I am not allowed a choice. You must die." The wolf stated as he jumped right back into the action. What he said took me by surprise, and for a second, I hesitated in attacking.

(It never had a chance to decide for itself…)

That second of hesitation nearly cost me as the wolf tried to strike with its chainsaw, but I dodged out of the way. This round of battle went on for a while, with the wolf trying some new tactics. The knives he threw earlier were back, and they seem faster than before.

"Oh great, now it's throwing knives at us!" I complained after dodging a set.

"This machine's intellect is quite impressive. It adapts to situations quickly." Mitsuru said over the gauntlets speakers, "If dodging the knives is out of the question, then try deflecting them. The steel of your gauntlet should be strong enough to block the knives with little difficultly."

"Thanks for the heads up, Senpei."

With this new advice in mind, we continued our battle. What she said proved to be accurate, the gauntlets allowed me to get closer, but the wolf jumps out of range of my strikes.

"Use your intellect. Evade my blows." The wolf, oddly, advised as it leapt around. I kept my eye on it, waiting for the inevitable strike. As soon as it stopped, I quickly got into defence mode. It lunged at me but I was prepared this time. Using my own momentum, I parried his strike; leaving him dizzied. This allowed me to give a strong kick which caused it to go careening straight into the wall behind it.

"To continue alone would be foolish. Help me!" Once again, the wolf gave a howl. A single, bigger Shadow appeared from the dark, it looked mechanical and it had two spear-like weapons for arms.

"You must proceed with caution here." Mitsuru warned, "The Rampage Drive is much tougher than the other Shadows you fought. Its armor is impervious to normal attacks."

"Then how are we supposed to kill it!?" Junpei asked rather loudly.

"Nothing is invulnerable!" I responded, "If we can chip away its armor…"

"You might find a weakness, yes." Mitsuru agreed.

The Rampage Drive was certainly a persistent Shadow. It kept trying to use physical strikes, and for a while, we ended up in a pattern of strike-get a few hits in-dodge-repeat. Until it surprised me while I was punching away by spinning around; using the spears to knock me down to the ground, rolling a few times along the way.

"You call this violence _'civilized'_?" Yet another question from the wolf. I didn't actually think about this until much later, but at the moment I was focused on the Rampage Drive as it prepared to charge at me. Seeing no other option, I prepared myself to block it. I managed to parried the blow but we were stuck in a power struggle; the loser ending up dead. The advantage that I had was that my arms were flexible. Using my free hand, I struck the Shadow in the mask, it reeling back from me. I took the opportunity to give it a swift kick; lifting my other leg straight up into the air, hopping a few steps so I was in range, and then sent it crashing into the Shadow's mask again. The area around the mask was starting to show cracks; so I took the advantage, kicking it so it spun around uncontrollably for a second. And with a single strike, jumped up, managed to get hold of the mask and rip it off.

"Bullseye!" I let out a cry of victory, as I looked at the mask in my hand, and then crushed it into dust; along with the Shadow it came from. With nothing left to defend it, the wolf howled once more and jumped back into the fray. It tried a simple combo attack with its chainsaw, but the momentum was in my favor. I dodged, and countered with some quick attacks. The wolf tried to move back but I was quicker than it for once, moving so it would always be in range of my attacks. After a nice spinning kick, it fell to ground. I walked slowly towards it as it got back up.

"Impressive, human." It said as it attached the chainsaw to its tail again, "You will die." It attacked again, but I parried it. The wolf had a plan that time though, because it did something that I didn't predict. It used the second of time I was recovering to pounce on me; using its claws to keep me pinned down. Lifting its chainsaw before I had time to process what happened, it plunged it deep into my shoulder. And I don't know about you, but that thing… It hurt big time.

"AHHH!" I screamed out in pain, it went on for at least two seconds, perhaps three, before an arrow forced the wolf to move off me.

"Does it hurt?" It taunted as Yukari helped me up.

"Are you alright!?" She asked worriedly as she inspected the wound.

"I'll be fine." I grunted, "We need to end this, now!"

With the three of us in position, we prepared for a last ditch attack against the UG. With blood pouring down my arm and body, we charged in. Making use of the wolf's speed to force it to move to places where the others could attack. When Junpei managed to strike it with his sword, the wolf tried to hit him, but he managed to dodge, dropping his katana. I rolled over to it and picked it up, and now the wolf's attention was on me. The UG gave us the victory when he tried to end the battle by spinning his body around, hoping to catch us with the chainsaw, because he gave control of the flow of battle to me. I parried it, giving me an opportunity to move in close and grab it by the neck.

"S-Stop!" It screamed in pain as I plunged Junpei's sword into it, after stabbing it twice, I gave it a good kick, keeping it in the air long enough to slash the underside several more times quickly. It crashed onto the floor in several pieces.

"Cannot… continue…" Its computerized voice said, informing us that we did indeed win that difficult battle. A minute passed, the air filled with heavy breathing as we try to catch our breaths. A beeping sound came from my gauntlet suddenly.

"Huh?" I let out as I looked at it. It was a message from the UG. After a moment looking at the screen, I played it.

"Directive… Liberate… City… Ensure freedom… Obey directive… must obey directive… what is… Freedom…? Freedom… un…de…fined…"

"…What would an AI know about freedom?" I asked myself, feeling pity for the poor machine.

* * *

Author's Note: Well, that lasted longer than expected. And turned out quite differently than I expected too. I feel that this chapter is probably the best one so far. The beginning was a little iffy in my opinion and I'll probably fix that at some point, but the second half I'm actually proud of. Your thoughts on it? Leave a review and tell me and all that jazz. Until next time, have a fantastic day.


	8. Chapter 7: A Link to the Heart

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES – Spring of Hope

Author's Notes: After the encounter with the LB-0131, our heroes prepare to deal with the fallout of the murder, and Ross and Yukari have a heart-to-heart about their trust in one another.

* * *

Chapter 7: A Link to the Heart

(It never wanted to fight… And it didn't have a choice in the matter…)

"Ross… ROSS!" I heard Junpei call out my name. I shook my head and looked away from the wreckage I caused, "You okay? You were zoning out big time."

"I'm…" I hesitated in answering. I wasn't entirely sure how I felt; anger, sadness, pity, confusion, all rolled up into one and making a goddamn mess out of me emotionally.

(I need to calm down…)

I took some deep breaths and looked at the others.

"Do… Do you think that machine was truly sentient? And it wasn't allowed a choice but to go after us?" I asked them; giving them food for thought. Yukari was actually thinking about it, but Junpei blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"Did you just seriously ask that? It's a machine, dude. It was probably programmed that way to make us drop our guard." He said. And to be fair, he did have a point; that was a possibility. There was one tiny flaw in that though, as Yukari pointed out.

"Burroughs is sentient. It can talk, joke and make rational decisions like a human." She said, which sparked an idea in me. A possibility, but a very strong one. I wasn't able to move my left arm after the adrenaline wore off, so I groped around for the radio on the gauntlet and turned it on.

"Senpei." I called out, the pain starting to set in.

"Yes, McHardy?" Mitsuru answered back.

"Is it possible to contact Stephen?"

"Hmm… Well, he is one of the scientists we trained to be able to enter The Dark Hour, so yes, it is possible."

"Do you think you can put him on the line?"

~Spring of Hope~

We ended up back on the first floor of Tartarus; getting ready to go home. Both Mitsuru and Yukari told me to sit down on the steps and wait while they try to find something to help my wound. My thoughts ended up back to the conversation I had with Stephen back on the tenth floor.

"_Do you think you can repair it?" I asked him, looking at the broken remains of the LB-0131._

"_Well, you left the chassis and processor intact for the most part, so yes, it is possible to repair it. Where did you find it though?" He asked in return curiously. He seemed surprised we found it here._

"_I told you, we were in Tartarus and it tried to kill us, we fought it and the end result was that."_

"_I know, but… We all thought it was gone for good, it had been missing for at least ten years."_

"_10 years!? How do you… How did this come about?" I wanted answers; there were simply too many questions to leave unchecked._

"_We were originally contracted by the US Military to help build an Unmanned Gear that can think and make logical decisions on its own. We made headways into the project and initial tests came out rather well. It wasn't until we created the AI behind it that we ran into a problem."_

"_What kind of problem?"_

"_It was able to think, and complete its objectives, but it was lacking one thing that the US Military was hoping for."_

"_And that is…?" I asked, not sure if I wanted to know the answer._

"_Brutality. It lacked the human instinct to kill, and was considered a threat to any mission it was put through. After three years working on it, the project was shut down; along with the UG. Until it suddenly hopped off the grid, and was missing ever since."_

_Yukari, Junpei and I all looked at each other, in slight disbelief. We knew what that thing was capable of, and yet, here we were, finding out that the machine didn't want to kill._

_(...That explains why it didn't kill me when it had the chance.)_

_Stephen cleared his throat._

"_In any case, send the UG over and we'll repair it as quick as we can."_

"_Wait!" I said before he could end the call, "I would like you to make some changes, if you can."_

"…_It's not outside the realms of possibility. Name them."_

"_Could you get rid of that chainsaw? And make the chassis lighter? Oh, and get rid of that AI Wiping Program while you're at it."_

"_Ross, what are you thinking?" Yukari asked. I could see that she was piecing together what I'm doing. I looked at her with a stern expression._

"_I'm going to give it a choice."_

I stared at the ground as my flashback ended. From the corner of my eye, I saw Junpei helping Mitsuru pack the UG on her bike. To be honest, I was being impulsive; the thought that I was being too rash crossed my mind, but I forced it out. I made my decision, and I was sticking by it. It deserved a choice, I told myself. For that brief moment after the battle, I wasn't sure how to feel; but I was resolute in my decision.

"- -your shirt." I was so out of it at that moment, what Yukari said barely registered with me, so I only caught the tail end of it.

"Sorry, could you repeat that?" I asked, shaking my head.

"Yes, please. I'm not sure I heard that right." Junpei added, looking a little too amused for his own good.

"Shut up, Stupei!" She shouted at him, her voice echoing off the walls of the front hall.

(Stupei…?)

"Would you quit calling me that!?" He responded in kind, but Yukari ignored him and turned back to look at me.

"I need to take a look at your wounds… So could you take off your shirt?" She asked again, with a hint of red crossing her cheeks. I looked at the wounds in my shoulder and saw the blood absorbed into the fabric around it. I could feel most of it dripping down my arm and body. I knew it had to be done eventually, so I held my breath, and moved to take off the article of clothing in the way. I grunted in pain as the fabric stuck to the wounds, and getting it off was more painful than I anticipated. It took a minute, but once I had it off, I threw it onto the ground in front of me. A silent gasp from Yukari, and I could see Junpei looking away from it; not surprising really. It probably looked a lot worse than it actually was but it never hurts to be careful.

"Okay…" Yukari moved to sit beside me and took a closer look, "Geez, it went straight through to the other side." She said, visibly wincing at the sight. I couldn't look into the wound itself because of the blood, but something told me I really shouldn't be that curious about it. "It's probably gonna leave scars."

"Yeah, I figured." I said calmly, "How many is that so far? Four?" I gritted my teeth as the cool air around me hit the wounds. I didn't really notice it until that point, but Tartarus was cold. I never really understood why, but it was comforting to be enveloped by the cold… Not at that moment though.

"Does it hurt?" She must have seen my reaction, or she wouldn't have sounded so worried.

"…A little." I forced out. Did I ever mention how I suck ass at lying? Because I do.

"Liar." She immediately called me out on that, and reached into a bag on the floor near us.

(When did she get that? Probably while I wasn't looking.)

"I know we packed them." She muttered to herself, and eventually pulled out a few towels, alcohol solution to clean the wounds and bandages to wrap it up. She started by cleaning up the blood that got everywhere. I wasn't sure whether or not to strike up a conversation, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to say something.

"I wanted to thank you, for saving me." I said awkwardly, "I wouldn't know what would happen if you hadn't done that."

"You can consider us even from that night on the roof." She replied, keeping her focus on the wounds.

"That's two I owe you actually." I stated in that same tone. I remembered how she risked her life to save me from that Shadow; it was something I never forgot.

"…And I wasn't going to leave my partner to do that by himself." I wasn't expecting that. I turned to look at her, eyes widened. All she did was smile, fully aware of the irony behind that sentence. I couldn't help but give a short laugh; having my own words quoted right back at me was so strange, it was a lot funnier than it should have been.

"Thanks, I needed that." I said, still smiling for that unexpected bout of laughter.

"Don't mention it." Her hand accidentally rubbed over a bruise, causing me to let out of a moan of pain.

"Sorry." She apologised quickly, "There are a lot of bruises too." She added, taking a look at the darkening bruises along my abdomen.

"I think those came from the Rampage Drive. That thing can pack a serious punch."

"I'm surprised you managed to stay standing after all that, man." Junpei walked over to us, done with packing up the remains of the LB-0131.

"I'm running off adrenaline." I answered honestly, "I got a bit too into it."

Mitsuru chuckled at my honest statement.

"You remind me of Akihiko. He's always looking for a fight. He mentioned wanting to have a sparring match with you sometime."

"Really?" I asked, wondering why that was the case.

"_Oui_. I admit, it would be an interesting match to see."

Amidst this light-hearted conversation, I remembered something more pressing: facing all the students the following morning.

"Oh, shit…" I sighed, "How are we going to handle the murder case? Everyone's going to be looking for answers."

"Not to worry." Mitsuru replied, "Only the teachers and the Student Council are aware of the case. It was a good thing Takeba found you first after that scream. We were able to evacuate the school on the basis of being dismissed early, nobody raised any eyebrows."

"How are you going to explain everyone that stayed behind? And how did you explain that scream anyway?" I was pretty curious how Mitsuru managed to pull all that off without arousing suspicion

"Takeba and Kazama insisted on staying behind to look after you. Iori was called by the principal; Akihiko was out of the school at the time and doesn't need to explain where he was, and I had some paperwork to take care of."

(Well, that explains some things… Just what kind of pull does she have at the school?)

"And the scream…?"

Mitsuru looked somewhat amused here.

"That's for you to decide."

"Um…" Nice way to put me on the spot there, thanks Mitsuru, really appreciate it, "Ah…"

(You fell down some stairs.)

"I fell down some stairs."

"Oh come on, man, that is total bull- -" Junpei started to say, but I interrupted him.

"Shut up before I throw you down a flight." I was just joking… Or was I? I can't really remember. Regardless, it made everyone smile. Gotta keep everyone's spirits up somehow, right? Especially in a dark, death filled place such as Tartarus.

"All done!" Yukari announced, I looked down at my body and noticed the bandages. The second time I've been wrapped up like an Egyptian mummy.

"I didn't even notice." I said incredulously, "You seem to be very good with your hands- - Ugh, never mind." Me and my big mouth; it'll get me in trouble one of these days.

"What was that?" Junpei asked. Of course, HE would catch onto that slip-up.

(Damn you, Junpei!)

"Nothing, Stupei!" I borrowed Yukari's little saying, it was appropriate.

"Oh, not you too! You're just like her, you know." Junpei sounded exasperated. I suppose we were all tired, it was a good thing we were going home soon.

"I'll get the UG to Stephen; he'll contact you when he's done." Mitsuru got on her motorcycle, "You three get back to the dorm. You all showed great teamwork during that fight; you deserve the break. You especially, McHardy. Get some rest; the Class Trial will be tomorrow."

(Class Trial…?)

With that, she rode off out the open door of Tartarus. We all looked at each other, proud of the compliment we received.

"Well, I would say that victory was well deserved." I said to them, "High five?" I must have looked absolutely silly; all wrapped up in bandages, holding up my hand waiting to receive said high fives. When did I ever care what I looked like though? Not me. Not yet anyway. As long as my friends were smiling, I didn't really think about what I act like. A few seconds passed, and Yukari was the first to fulfil my request, then Junpei; both of them were laughing.

"Haha! Go Team S.E.E.S!" It was goofy, I will be the first to admit it, but it showed that we were in a similar mindset and were a team. If there was one thing that remained constant in the chaos, it was that.

*SMASH!*

(OW! What the hell!?)

"**Thou hast made great strides in uncovering the truth. Thou shalt be blessed when thou chooseth to use the power of the Fool Arcana."**

(So that's what Igor meant…That's great and all, but was it really necessary to give me a headache as well.)

"You alright?" Junpei asked. I waited for the bout of pain to subside.

"I'm fine." I replied, rubbing my forehead, "Felt like someone dropped a vase on my head though."

"No wonder!" Junpei laughed, "You took a bit of a beating. Is it me or did those Shadows target you more than us?"

(Come to think of it… Yeah.)

I shrugged the shoulder that wasn't wrapped up.

"Probably thought I was the bigger threat. Take me out, and you two would scatter; making you easier targets."

"Well, they underestimated us." Yukari said proudly, "They'll think twice before making that mistake again."

"Yes…" I said in thought, "If they're co-ordinating their attacks on a single person rather than randomly like before, that means they're getting smarter… We should be careful from here on out."

With that said, we headed out of Tartarus about ten minutes before The Dark Hour ended. I was carrying my shirt, ripped and stained with blood, over my shoulder as we walked side by side back to the dorm. As we walked down the straight path to the main gate though, a weird feeling shot through my body.

"Huh?" I turned back to look at the imposing tower.

(That's strange. What was that?)

"Did you guys feel that?" I asked them, not taking my eyes off it.

"Yeah. What was that?" Yukari asked back. I didn't know the answers either; it was powerful though. Its presence made the Rampage Drive's strength pale in comparison.

"Feel what? What's going on?" Junpei asked curiously and, surprising to us, not worried at all. Yukari and I looked at him, mouths slightly open.

"You can't sense that, Junpei?" I questioned; a shiver ran down my spine as I glanced back at Tartarus.

"No. What is it?" He said in a very casual way. Yukari and I stared at each other. I blinked, then she blinked. Then we looked at the tower.

"…It's your call. Do you want to check it out?" Yukari told me; leaving the decision in my hands. It didn't take long for me to answer.

"…No. There isn't enough time."

(And I don't think we can fight whatever it is. I don't know what frightens me more: that its strength is overwhelming, or that we didn't notice it until now.)

We continued our trek back the dorm, though a tense air surrounded us and it didn't let up. Yukari and I didn't say a word for the rest of the journey.

~Spring of Hope~

At around 1 o'clock in the morning, we reached the dormitory that we called home. Mitsuru wasn't back yet, probably still at the lab where they were repairing the UG. I told the others to get some sleep, that I was gonna stay awake for a while longer. They walked out of my sight, leaving me alone to my thoughts. It felt like an eternity since I was able to just kick back and relax. I stared at the ceiling and let out a sigh. I knew that I should be in bed, resting for the inevitable trial that I would have to go through, but it's difficult to think about without realising that I was being accused of murder. It was a scary thought, and we had no clue who could have done it. LB-0131 couldn't have been the murderer; that I'm sure of. After hearing what Stephen said, I was convinced. A situation like mine could make anyone cautious of the people around them, even those they consider friends, but I did my best to avoid that. That is a dark road, one that shouldn't be traveled lightly. I know this better than most, considering that… Ah, that doesn't matter right now. The sweet smell of hot chocolate reached my nostrils suddenly.

(What the…?)

I looked down at the table and saw a cup of hot chocolate, just sitting there, tempting me with its sweet, sweet smell and taste.

"Looked like you could use one of these."

I then looked to my right and saw Yukari holding a similar cup in her hands.

"Thanks." I grabbed the cup off the table and took a tentative sip of it. It was perfection. I can't describe it, but it was just what I needed to relax. I felt the couch move as Yukari sat down on it. For a while, we didn't say anything. We just enjoyed each other's company… It's weird really. How comfortable we were in each other's presence in the first few months of our journey. I wondered if it was because of our similar pasts or something else entirely, but it didn't feel awkward and it didn't feel forced. Funny how all it takes is one person to change your mindset about something. That's what happened with Yukari and I.

"You're worried about what's inside Tartarus, aren't you?" She asked me, like she knew what was on my mind. Like Jun, I found it nearly impossible to lie to her, and I would have felt terrible if I did.

"Yeah." I answered her after taking another sip from the hot chocolate, "That isn't all I'm concerned about though."

"The Class Trial, right?"

I didn't answer. There wasn't any need to.

"Hey, we'll all be there to help out. We might not find who really did it, but I know you're innocent, and we'll prove it."

"Yeah… Thanks."

"…You seem down. Is it really bothering you that much?"

"No, not really… It's just that… All this has made me wonder if I can trust anyone."

"What do you mean?"

I sighed and placed the cup down on the table before looking her directly in the eyes.

"There are very few people I can trust completely. In the end, I'm usually left on my own; broken and betrayed by those I once called _'friends'_." I told her bitterly, "Betrayal is something I loathe to the very depths of my soul. Even the friends I came here with I keep at arm's length. And I made them promise to forget me, should I ever find my true calling. Just because I'm that afraid of being hurt… You're the only one besides Jun who I've told about the ring and necklace, you know. I don't know why I trust you so much, but it's starting to frighten me."

This was a rare showing of such strong emotion from me. I don't normally let people see me so frightened, but after what happened at the school, cracks were starting to form in my normally joyful appearance.

"How do I know I'm safe to let down my guard, with all that has happened the past few days? Should I open my heart to you all? Or close it off? I honestly don't know."

Yukari didn't say anything in response. It looked like she was deep in thought about it. After a while, she put her cup of hot chocolate down beside mine, took my hand and wrapped her left pinky finger around my right one.

"What the- -?"

"It's a Japanese promise." She interrupted with a smile, and then moved her arm up and down, making my arm do the same.

"Cross my heart, hope to die, eat a thousand needles if I lie. Pinky promise song!" She said in a sing song tone. At the end of it, I was left staring at my hand with a confused expression, before it softened into a goofy smile.

"Well, that's a bit scary." I told her, "I may have to eat a thousand needles someday."

"Yup." Same cheery expression, just like her to say that with smile, "That promise is for the both of us. So I better not catch you telling any lies."

I laughed softly at that.

"Don't worry, I won't lie."

(Not to you, at least…)

*SMASH!*

(Okay… OW!)

"**Thou bond hast strengthened, and brings thee closer to thine own happiness. Thou shalt be blessed when thou chooseth to wield the power of the Lovers Arcana."**

(This warmth… Is this what the power of Social Links can grant me?)

"I don't understand why myself." She interrupted my thoughts, "But I trust you, completely. Every fiber of my being tells me that I shouldn't… In my heart though, I just know that I can leave my life in your hands should it come to that."

I blushed at the statement, and turned to look away. I had never heard someone say that to me before; it felt… nice. To know that she felt that level of trust towards me. It was also scary at the same time. Dominion over other people's lives was something that shouldn't be given to someone lightly. That much power could break a person if they weren't careful.

"You can trust me too." She continued, "So please. Let me in."

I stared at her blankly, not sure of what to think at that moment in time.

"For me?" She begged softly. I continued to stare at her, trying to hide the raging conflict within me. To hide my feelings from her, or to let her into my heart and risk getting hurt again. It was difficult, I'll say that, but one look at her eyes and I just crumble immediately. If there's one thing I couldn't stand; it was making someone I care about cry.

"…I'll try." I eventually answered, feeling as though a heavy weight was slowly being lifted from my shoulders. She looked relieved to see me slowly open up. It wasn't quite what she wanted, but it was progress, and she was content. She downed the rest of her drink and gave my hand a light squeeze.

(Her hands are really soft…)

"Try and get some sleep, alright?" I nodded slowly in answer to her question. She got up and made her way to the stairs but stopped after a few steps, "Don't worry about what happened with the Wolf."

"Eh?" I asked, confused by what she said.

"We didn't have a choice but to defend ourselves. Don't let it distract you tomorrow, okay?" She advised then went up the stairs to the third floor. I could hear her door open and shut, and then the entire dorm was silent. Silent except for my dark chuckles as I remembered what the UG said to us during our fight.

"I guess we didn't have much freedom ourselves, huh?"

* * *

Author's Note: Just a little character moment; show more about our main protagonist, you know. Social Links here work a bit differently than what you might be familiar with. To explain here will go into MASSIVE spoiler territory; but trust me, you'll understand when the time comes.


	9. Chapter 8: I'm My Own Master Now

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES – Spring of Hope

Author's Note: The Class Trial may have been easily won, but our heroes' day was about to get weird. And Ross gives LB-0131 an important choice.

* * *

Chapter 8: I'm My Own Master Now

I will admit it: I was tired. I didn't get a good night's sleep. The fight the previous night took more out of me than I realised, and I was left fatigued. That didn't bode well for the Class Trial later that day, but as I came to discover that day, that would be the least of my concerns. I shook myself awake at the sound of the clock buzzing and reached to turn it off. I sat up, rubbed my pounding head and forced myself to get out of bed. I shuffled along until I was in front of the mirror. Looking into it, I found that I was starting to get bags under my brown eyes and I noticed that my light brown hair was slightly out of shape, caused by that chainsaw.

(I was planning to get a haircut anyway; long hair just gets in the way…)

I never really cared much in terms of appearance. I just let things flow naturally; I had better things to worry about. Using the sink there, I splashed cold water on my face in an attempt to energise myself. It worked, for the most part. Still didn't change the fact I still felt like crap. Once I looked into the mirror again, the shock I received from seeing what was reflected was enough to get me fully awake.

"Hi!"

(Holy mother of Mary!)

I tripped over my own feet and started flailing around like me trying to ice skate, just so I could keep my balance. Once I was stable, I looked behind me and saw what caused my little freak out. It was a small red-haired female fairy-like creature, just flapping her wings; hovering in place.

"Um… Who are you?" I justifiably asked her.

"I'm Pixie, of the Lovers Arcana." She joyfully stated, fully aware of her surprising appearance, "It's nice to meet you, Master."

"Master…?" I questioned. I then remembered what Igor said. About how the various facets of my soul would reveal themselves to me.

"Yup." She responded, "I manifested after that battle with… Eh, what's it name? The LB- something something something…"

"…Where did you come from?" Stupid question, I know. I realised it as soon as I finished asking it.

"I came from within you." She answered, "When you made that bond with that girl, Yukari."

"That's not what I meant, I…" I was at a loss for words. And Pixie seemed to realise that.

"It'll make sense eventually. For now though, you're stuck with me. So make use of my abilities whenever you wish."

"Does that include your ability to talk?" I jokingly asked her, "Wait… If you can talk, why can't Jehuty?"

"Well, besides knowing how to introduce itself, it doesn't really know how to."

(What? That doesn't…)

Seeing my confusion, Pixie elaborated for me.

"It's difficult to explain, but most of the Personas of the Fool Arcana don't really speak; the weaker ones don't anyway. It's the more powerful ones that are capable of speech."

"I assume that applies to every Arcana?"

"No. It's just those of the Fool. I'm actually the weakest of the Lovers Arcana, but I can still speak to you."

"Don't call yourself weak… It's depressing." I said. I remembered Yukari saying something similar a few days prior, and it still bugs me whenever someone says that about themselves. Simply because it's not true.

"It's the truth though. The only reason I can stay in the real world with you physically and not in your mind is because your bond with Yukari is really strong."

(Funny, I just met her and people were already saying we were getting close… She just seems familiar to me, that's all.)

I stood there thinking about it for a while. And I started to notice similarities between Pixie and Yukari; mostly their personality. I wasn't sure why, but I started to take a liking to Pixie; mostly because I felt protective of her, and mostly because I wanted to see her become stronger, more confident.

"…You know what?" I said, "By this time next year, you'll be the most powerful Persona in my arsenal."

Pixie looked over-joyed to hear me say this.

"Really!?"

I smiled and nodded.

"Yes, really."

"Yay!" She did a lap around my head before flying close to my cheek and giving it a kiss, "You're the best Master I ever had!"

I was blushing and stuttering too much to even offer a coherent answer. I was not used to contact like that unless it was from Jun, and she was like a mother to me. It felt strange, but kinda nice at the same time.

"I, um, w-well, I-I…"

"Nearly everyone would fuse me away after I had used up my usefulness." She said in a sad, defeated tone, "They never give me a second look or even listen to what I had to say. You though... You're different." She gave me a bright, cheerful smile, "I think I might love you."

I was a complete mess. Her words just left me stupefied and at a loss as to what to say. Heheh, God forbid if I actually… Oh, wait…

"You're willing to actually keep me around. How can I repay you?"

"…Just do the best you can. In time, I'm sure that everyone will be glad you're around."

Pixie didn't say anything. Instead, she flew in my hair and started using it as a bed of sorts.

"Huh? What are you doing?" I asked confused.

"Your hair is extremely comfy, you know? Soft like a flower's petal." She said, snuggling into it.

"That isn't what I asked. What if people can see you?"

"I wouldn't worry about that. Only other Persona users can see me." She said casually, right before there was a knock at the door. I went over and opened it to show Yukari, dressed and ready for school.

"Hey ther- - What is that in your hair?" Of course, she would notice it. Who wouldn't?

"Um, Yukari, meet Pixie." I said as Pixie poked her head up to look at Yukari, "Pixie, this is Yukari."

"Oh, I know who she is." Pixie said, smiling mischievously "After all, she holds a huge place in your heart."

"Eh!?"

"Anyway!" I interrupted her before she could say anything else, I then took a good look at Yukari and she looked tired beyond belief. "You look exhausted."

"Now there's the pot calling the kettle black." She rebutted, "You look in even worse shape than me."

"Yeah… I didn't get a good night's sleep at all."

She stared at me for a few seconds before carrying on.

"Mitsuru-senpei doesn't think it's a good idea to let you go to school in your condition."

"What about the Class Trial though?"

"She knows that. Which is why we're going in early, getting it over with and then bringing you straight back here."

I wasn't happy with it, but I didn't really want to argue over that; so I just nodded my head in acceptance.

"I'll bring Burroughs just in case." I went over to the table and grabbed the left gauntlet. I slipped it onto my arm carefully, "Even though I think the Bullet Rebuttal App will be useless here, it's better safe than sorry."

We exited the dorm and grabbed the first train to Tatsumi Port Island. Pixie was just taking in everything around her; the tall buildings, the glistening sea. She was like an excited kid discovering the world for the first time; in a way, she really was. It made me smile to see her talk excitedly about stuff that many people take for granted; even myself from time to time; though it just made Yukari more confused. I promised her I would explain everything later. Throughout Pixie's ramblings, my thoughts turned to the _case,_ I suppose you can call it. We had no idea whom the victim is, no suspect and no clue what the hell is going on. No matter how much I think, I couldn't fathom a guess who did it and why. I simply accepted that I needed to prove my innocence first before thinking about that stuff. I didn't know how weird that day would get however, even to this day; I still don't understand how it happened.

~Spring of Hope~

It was pretty clear that I was innocent. The Student Council weren't idiots, no matter how some stories portray groups like them. Especially that girl with the glasses; though shy, she had an air of intelligence around her that proved she was smarter than she claimed to be.

(What was her name? Chihiro? Yeah, that's it.)

Everyone was there for the trial: Yukari, Junpei, Mitsuru, Akihiko and even Jun turned up to help me. I can't say I wasn't happy to see them there to support me. When the topic of who done it came up, my response was clear:

"_I don't know yet."_

The trial ended on that note, if you can even call it a trial. It was a simple case of mixed messages: _He was there at the scene of the crime, so he's the most likely suspect._ That was the logic they used to point the finger at me. There wasn't much evidence to prove it though. Hell, even my bloody footprints didn't match those at the crime scene. When it became clear that I didn't do it, they dropped the charges quickly. Pixie was watching the proceedings curiously, and when we were outside the Student Council room, she floated down from my hair to my shoulder.

"Is that what humans call a _'trial'_?" She asked me as we walked down the hall

"I wouldn't call it one, but technically I suppose you can call it that." I whispered to her, remembering that people were still about.

"I kinda wanna see a serious one. That looked too easy." She commented. I gave a light chuckle in response. I left the trial thinking that this wouldn't be the last time I'll get dragged into something like that, only next time; the stakes will be much higher.

"Maybe someday…" I trailed off as I spotted Jun down the corridor. As soon as she saw me, she walked up to me.

"Hey. Do you want to grab some lunch when class is over?" She asked me.

"Well… I'm supposed to be going home now." I said sadly.

(Yet another opportunity to hang out with my mentor ruined by circumstance. Why does fate hate me so?)

"I might have managed to convince Mitsuru to let you stay for lunch." She hinted pretty strongly with a wry smile. I smiled back, until she pointed out something.

"Who's your little friend there?" She asked curiously, pointing directly at Pixie.

(She can see her!?)

"She can see me!?" Pixie was as shocked as I was.

"But you're not- -!"

"You remember that very important task I was doing?" I nodded in response to her question, "I was training to detect and manipulate spirit energy."

"You can do that?" I asked incredulously. Even after all this time, she still manages to surprise me from time to time.

"Well, I was able to do it before, but I wasn't very skilled. The Kazama bloodline is able to see spirit energy and interact with it. I was training alone to perfect those skills."

While I was glad to get some answers as to where she was all that time, it still didn't detract from the shock of her being able to see my Personas.

"Anyway, you haven't answered my question." She reminded me with a smile.

"Um, yeah… Jun, this is Pixie." I introduced her, "Pixie, this is Jun Kazama. My mentor."

"It's nice to meet you, Pixie." Jun said sweetly. She was always kind to everyone she met; I guess that trait rubbed off on me in some way.

"…Yeah, it's nice to meet you too." Pixie eventually responded in the cheerful tone I came to expect from her, "I'm one of Ross' Personas. And I'm going to be the strongest of them all!"

(Can't fault her for her enthusiasm… I'm determined to make that statement true somehow.)

"Is that so?" Jun chuckled.

"Mark my words: She'll save everyone's life someday." I said, feeling Pixie fly into my hair again.

"No doubt." She responded surely, "Your power is… unique, compared to the others. I'm sure she'll call upon her true strength when the time demands."

We ended that conversation there, before any passer-bys get too curious about what we were talking about. Jun had me sit in the classroom at her desk and got me to help with her paperwork, saying that it would help me concentrate better. HA! I know her tricks. I wasn't fooled by any of that _'wax on, wax off'_ BS, I've seen that movie! Still… It helped kill time at least. A little while later, I would say close to lunchtime but I can't remember precisely, I was almost finished with the fourth stack of papers until something compelled me to look out the window. I didn't really know _why_ I looked out the window, and I still don't know to be honest, but I did it; and my sense of curiosity took over. The pathway to the main gate was empty, nobody was there… Almost. Someone was there, but it wasn't someone I recognised. It was a girl wearing a school uniform, from that distance I could see that she had brown hair but that was it. She was just standing there, like she was waiting for someone. I wondered who she was, but that was all I could ask myself before a sense of panic took over.

While I was looking at her, I saw her head move ever so slightly. I realised that she was looking directly at me. My eyes widened a little as I noticed this, and I started to become nervous. It was like I could see her movements as clear as if I was standing right in front of her; and what she did next sent my defensive instincts to overload. She pursed her lips and sent an air kiss in my direction. Immediately after seeing this, I pushed back the chair; it making a loud sound which drew everyone's attention to me, and got into a defensive pose. I didn't expect her to attack in a public area like this but I panicked and thought of the worst case scenario.

"Master! What's wrong!? Your heart rate just spiked!"

(Fuck! Bad time, Burroughs!)

Using my hand, I forced the hologram away from me so I could bring my focus back to the girl. When I looked outside again though, she was gone.

(How did she get away that fast!?)

"Ross! Are you alright!?" I heard Jun ask. I realised then what a commotion I made, and tried to calm down my rapidly beating heart. I made direct eye contact with her and answered.

"Yeah… I just dodged a bullet."

~Spring of Hope~

Lunch time rolled around and I was glad to be able to drink something. That incident in the classroom was too uncomfortable for my tastes. Though I was looking forward to chatting with Jun, without worrying about any murders happening. I sat at the furthest desk away from the door, with a nice Cheese and Ham Sandwich, and a bottle of Cola. Just cannot top it. While waiting for Jun to show up, I started playing with my food to keep myself amused. Using one hand I made legs with my fingers and made them run away while being chased by the sandwich.

(Look at itty bitty men, run away from Sandvich… What was that, Sandvich? Kill them all? Good idea!)

And then, the innocent bystander got killed by the Great Mighty Sandvich. May his non-existent soul rest in peace…

"Stop playing with your food."

(Killjoy!)

"I was bored. I can't help it." I defended myself, before taking a bite into the sandwich. Jun chuckled.

"I forgot. Rule one: Never let you get bored."

"Rule two actually."

"Ah, that's right. Rule one is never let us play against each other in Dokapon."

"Wait, when did that become rule one?"

"Have you already forgotten what happened?"

I couldn't keep a straight face.

"…Maybe." I was grinning like an idiot. We just sat around discussing stupid shit. Like how we used to watch stupid 80's movies every summer, and we would quote them all the time. Around the time I was at the orphanage, the N64 was out, but I didn't have a chance to play it until Jun randomly brought it out. We compared best completion times in Mario 64, fastest times in Mario Kart; kicked each other's asses in Smash Bros. Just the amount of fun we had, it made us laugh. Of course, she taught me everything she knew in-between all that. What I always looked forward to though was the stupid fun we would have. Eventually the topic of discussion landed on the power of Personas; with Jun looking very serious.

"You have the power of Divine Beings within you to call forth when you desire… I'm surprised that hasn't gone to your head."

"I couldn't afford that. Someone had to the rational leader, and I was picked to be just that." I said in response, matching that serious tone she had, "And I wouldn't say it's the power of the Gods or anything like that…"

"I can feel that power in you though. Waiting to be unleashed, you just need to reach for it… Though I suppose that power doesn't come just from your own strength." She smiled before pointing at Pixie who was fast asleep in my hair. How she didn't wake up during the freak out moment I will never know. "Pixie's a manifestation of your bond with Yukari, right?"

"Wha- -? How did you know?"

"I've seen the way she looks at you. She really likes you, you know. And don't think I didn't notice those glances during class time." She said with an amused smile.

(Shit. I was hoping she wouldn't notice.)

"…She's different from the others. I can't explain why, but something feels familiar about her." I'm beginning to see how I was repeating that sentence just a bit. Since I was being a _baka_ though, I never thought too deeply about it. Ma… Anyway, I suppose it was too big a stretch for me to consider at first so I don't exactly blame myself for not noticing it.

"How different?"

"Different enough. I doubted myself after that battle, about who I can trust… I feel that I can trust her though, completely." I smiled slightly, remembering the promise we made. It was silly, but it made me smile. And I always keep my promises, especially since I would have to eat a thousand needles if I broke it.

"…She reminds me of you." She said, scratching her cheek in thought.

"Eh? How so?" I asked curiously.

"Her kind nature. That's what I meant by that." She explained, "She's kind to the people she cares about, and doesn't seem overtly violent."

"…She threw a book at Junpei." Yes, that did actually happen. I'm not making things up here! Jun chuckled as she placed a hand over her mouth to hide it.

"Well, besides that. And there's something about her that…"

"Huh?"

"Never mind. I could be wrong about it." I was suspicious about what she was about to say but I let it go. She sighed and looked right at me, "I'm worried about you. I'm worried that this might become too much for you to handle."

"I'll be fine…" I doubted that though, if Jun was worried about something, then it was deathly serious

"If you ever need help, or just need someone there; just ask, okay?" She smiled at me once more, and through those words, I was reminded that she really does care. Not that I didn't know that already, but it's nice to see concrete proof of that.

*SMASH!*

(Not again! With the smash and the pain and the ow!)

"**Thou bond that has once waned has been strengthened. Thou shalt be blessed when thou chooseth to call upon the power of the Hierophant Arcana."**

(What the…?)

From the corner of my eye, I saw that Jun was smirking slightly.

(Does she know about…?)

~Spring of Hope~

A little while later, I received a call from Mitsuru. She told me that Stephen had managed to repair the LB-0131. It was extremely quick work, and I can do nothing but credit the man because when Ikutsuki said that he was a genius at engineering, he meant it.

"The chassis was simple enough, and I gave it a redesign to make it look more like a wolf. Seriously, what were they thinking when they designed it like that? It's not threatening at all! And may I say, it is wonderful to meet you in person."

And he was just a big an oddball as me at times. Even in a mechanized wheelchair, he still has the energy of a brilliant scientist.

"How is Burroughs treating you? Has she been of help to you?" Stephen asked me. I nodded.

"Yes, she's been brilliant. And it's nice to meet you too. I don't think I've met anyone this intelligent before."

"Well, the line between genius and insanity is slim. But that's what every great mind has to deal with on a daily basis." He said, pushing his glasses up.

"Yeah… I know that feeling." The thing is, I was also a bit crazy; which would explain all the absolutely insane ideas I have later on.

"It's through here." He punched some commands into the keyboard on the arm of the wheelchair and the metal door in front of us slid open. In the room, was the mechanical wolf; the LB-0131. It looked docile but I was still cautious as I approached it. Its head, which had a guard that when retracted looked like wolf's ears, turned to look at me.

"You… ordered my reconstruction… Why have you done this? It is not logical."

"…I don't know why." I answered honestly, "I wanted to ask you though. What you said back there, about you not having a choice. Was that true?"

It turned away and looked down at the desk.

"…Yes. I was built to kill but I had no desire to. It's ironic; that a machine has more empathy for its fellow-man than an actual fellow-man."

I was silent for a moment before I moved closer.

"You had the perfect opportunity to kill me back there. You could have ended the battle right there and then, but you didn't… Was it because you were hoping we would stop you?"

His silence told me everything. I sighed, before grabbing a chair and sitting so I'm face-to-face with Wolf.

"…I'm here to give you a choice." He looked at me once more, his quick movement suggested that he was surprised, "You don't have to accept if you don't want to, I'll understand. That's the beauty of freedom. We could use your help. You won't have to kill, you won't even have to fight if you don't want to… But you could be the perfect scout for us. You, along with Burroughs, could help us investigate Tartarus to our fullest potential. Once again though, it's your choice." I placed a hand on his head and stroked it like one would do it to a dog, "You're your own master now, Wolf."

"I'm… my own master now?"

I nodded.

"So… what's your decision going to be?"

Wolf looked around the room before looking at me again. Then, he gave me his answer.

* * *

Author's Note: I don't think this is my best work ever, but I can always improve it later; and I might be a little burned out from Halloween, so that could be affecting my judgement of this. Anyway, your thoughts on it? Any mistakes you spot, or something interesting that I left in there for people to find? (Not saying that I did it _this_ time.) Leave a review and tell me. I will leave you guys with a preview of things to come, and as always, I hope you have a fantastic day.

Next time

With warnings of a powerful Shadow reaching our heroes; they prepare for their toughest battle yet. With Ross having doubts about his own identity; fuelled by the cryptic sayings of a mysterious girl, Yukari, Jun and Junpei tries to protect him from his own darkness and remind him of whom he is. Though what they heard causes uncertainty to foster in the minds of everyone there to witness it

It happens in the next chapter: Divine Bloodlines. There will be a little fan service as well… Perhaps.


	10. Chapter 9: Divine Bloodlines

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES – Spring of Hope

Author's Note: After the confusing school day our heroes had, they are happy enough to just go home and enjoy their Sunday off with their latest team member. Though with warnings of a powerful Shadow and the cryptic sayings of a mysterious girl eating away at Ross' mind and making him question who he is, who knows what will happen. Yukari, Jun and Junpei won't let him succumb to his darkness without a fight however.

* * *

Chapter 9: Divine Bloodlines

"Um… Are you sure you want the K-9000 along for this? I mean, it did try to kill us." Junpei rightfully pointed out. I let myself relax into the comfy chairs of the fancy limo. Having the heir of the Kirijo Group be the leader of your secret club of Shadow ass kicking school kids certainly has its perks.

"He's only going to help us with scouting, nothing more. And the AI Wiping Program has been removed. So yeah, I say let's throw him a bone."

"Wordplay: My exoskeleton resembles that of a canine. Canine's love bones. Amusing on two levels."

I gave Wolf a small smile that said '_sure, let's go with that'_. It wasn't just ol' Junpei and Wolf there with me; Yukari and Jun were there also. According to Mitsuru, she called that limo to bring us back to the dorm so that _'we can avoid drawing attention to the UG'_. Though to be honest, picking us up in a limo in full view of everyone wasn't the smartest idea… Actually, it was probably the most inconspicuous way she could have handled it, and she still does it, believe it or not… We might need to explain to her the concept of stealth sometime.

"Again, I would like to apologise for injuring you." Wolf apologised for, at least, the fifth time. I looked down at him, who was lying on the ground near our feet.

"I told you, I'm fine. My injuries are almost fully healed up." I was surprised when I felt the cut mend itself quickly throughout the day. Though it left a scar, it didn't impede my punches. Injuries like that usually take a while to heal however, something Yukari caught on to.

"Within a few days though… How is that possible?" She asked herself.

"He's always been able to heal very quickly, ever since he was a kid." Jun explained, "He doesn't really get sick that often either. And that's not even going into what happened at Osaka." She said this with an amused grin. I questioned how she knew about what happened there, but then I remembered; she was keeping an eye on me. And I also asked myself why she brought it up to begin with, the most logical answer being to embarrass me.

"Please do not bring up what happened at Osaka." I begged her, "I don't think my brain can handle remembering that. And how the hell do you know- -?"

"What happened there? I'm kinda curious now." Junpei leaned forward, looking me in the eye. He looked amused, though I had no idea what he was thinking. I mean… It was Junpei. I love the guy, in a bro-mantic sort of way, but even I can't tell what he's thinking half the time. Well, I can probably tell what he's thinking of now, but he probably wouldn't like it if I revealed it at this moment. Heh, the guy likes surprising the hell out of people, just like me.

"Nothing!"  
"Oh, you would not believe it."

In perfect unison we said this. It's not every day that happens, tis' a shame it had to be wasted on something silly like that.

"What happened?" Even Yukari was curious. I knew right there and then that I was screwed.

"…I'll tell you later." I wanted to hold off on revealing it as long as I could. What could be so terrible as to make even the normally chatty and talkative me clam up? Well, that depends on your definition of terrible; some might say I was extremely lucky. Regardless, what happened was something I did not want to deal with again… And then it happened a few months later… Joy.

"I was surprised when I found out. That wasn't like you." Jun tried to sound disappointed, but I could tell she found it extremely funny.

"That was an accident, which won't be repeated." I said stoically. Which was strange, considering how I've acted before… I suppose that day was when I started to change. Unfortunately, it wasn't for the better.

"Bullcrap!" Jun countered, unaware of what's to come. We all were. We enjoyed our fooling about as much as we could, even after that day was done, we enjoyed it. If only to keep us from losing ourselves… Or perhaps it was just me. I'm not sure; it's a bit of a grey area. We arrived at the dorm in our, I repeat for emphasis, fancy limo and got out. The UG, which I've affectionately called Bladewolf, or just Wolf for short, followed me. I think I got the name from some action game I played a while ago, it had a really ridiculous but awesome subtitle for it, but for the life of me I can't remember it… Anyway, we entered the dormitory. I went in first, with Wolf beside me, then everyone else followed suit. There are no words that could express my feelings upon seeing what was waiting for us.

"What are you doing here?" I growled. It was that same girl from earlier on; the one who disappeared right after scaring me. I could see the rest of her face, which I couldn't beforehand; brown eyes and a youthful face complement each other along with her brown hair. And a decently sized chest as well… Not that I wasn't looking or anything. How she broke into the dorm wasn't that important in retrospect, what I was focusing on was who she was, and what she wanted from me.

"You know this girl?" Junpei asked, sounding a little afraid at that moment. I suppose I never really sounded angry before. Like legitimately pissed off. So it probably came as a surprise to him to hear me take on that tone of voice.

"Ross." Yukari walked closer to me, but I already knew what she was going to say.

"Yeah, I know." I said without taking my eyes off the girl, "She's extremely powerful." I walked a little closer to the girl who was sitting on one of the couches. "You're way too powerful to be just a typical Shadow. And I know you're not human because no human can have that kind of strength. Who are you?" I asked her, who responded with only a smirk.

"Well, that goes to show how little you've fought those things. You're right in saying that I'm not a Shadow, nor am I human. I've come to deliver what is rightfully yours."

~Spring of Hope~

"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."

"Yes, I know that quote. Friedrich Nietzsche, _Beyond Good and Evil_. What's that got to do with me though?"

"Everything."

That exchange of words caused glances to be shared between all of us. Mitsuru and Akihiko joined us soon after we arrived, and after a few words, they sat down along with us. On the table sat two wooden boxes, adorn with a painted picture of a cross. One was large enough to span the width of the table but was thin enough to allow the second one, a medium-sized box, to sit on the table without going over the edge.

"Heh, it's kinda funny how these are supposed to be mine." I said with a hint of remorse.

"How so?" She asked, looking a little smug for it to be comfortable.

"God had abandoned me a long time ago. So this seems like a bit of a joke."

"Rest assured, this is simply me returning what belongs to the two of you. **I** wouldn't ask you to go into his service or something like that." Her words had a bit of bite to them. It sounded like she was scorned by some deity or God himself.

(If He really exists…)

"Wait, the _'two of you'_…?" I asked, catching on to that very specific choice of words. That implied that I wasn't the only one to be receiving something. Something told me that she knew that I would catch on, judging from that small smile. Ugh, it pisses me off when someone does that, it implies that they know more than I do. And I'm sorry, but I have a bit of an ego. It annoys me when someone brags, even subtly, that they know more than I.

"You'll see." She said, "Now, if you would." She motioned to the box sitting in front of me. She beckoned me to open it. I stared at it for a moment before I slowly reached out to it.

"Might want to cover your eyes, everyone." I warned, and when they gave me questioning looks, I continued, "Wooden box, possibly ancient artefact; if I know my movies, this will blind us when I open it." I brought my focus back to said box, and slowly began to open. I turned my head away, and then quickly brought the lid up… Nothing happened. No light, no nothing.

(Oh… Well, that's anti-climactic.)

I turned my head back and reached into the box. I grabbed hold of the item inside and brought it out. It was… a cross.

"Well, I don't exactly have much use for a cross." I told the girl, before a metal stake shot out from the bottom of it, startling me a little. "…Unless you want me to kill vampires. I can name a couple that could use a good stake to the heart."

"According to my records, that is what is known as a Battle Cross."

"Burroughs?"

"It is said that in an age gone by, the Battle Cross was used to fend off the creatures of the night, though that is only according to legend. Supposedly, there was only one in the entire world that was made and that its true power cannot be unlocked by a mere mortal."

The mysterious girl chuckled darkly.

"Heh, _mere mortal_ is right. Mankind cannot understand the powers that work in the shadows. And they cannot comprehend the power of some that walk among them."

We all stayed silent. We had no idea what she was talking about yet. I pushed it out of my mind and looked at the other box that lay on the table.

"What's in the other box?" I asked.

"Ah, yes. That box. Takeba." She turned to look at Yukari, who jumped upon hearing her name called, "If you would be so kind."

Yukari hesitated, before reaching for the box. Now I expected for there to be a fake-out; that the box that would produce the blinding light would be that one. And sure enough… That was precisely what happened. When Yukari opened the box, it produced a bright light that surprised us all.

(Son of a- -! You knew, didn't you!?)

Judging from the girl's amused smirk, I would say yes, she did know about that. After we got our bearings, and sight, back we all looked at what was in it. It was a fancy looking bow, a fitting weapon for Yuka-tan, but it looked like no bow that I have ever seen. For one, it had no container to store arrows, and something felt off about it, but I wasn't sure what.

"Hey, there's no string! How am I supposed to fire any arrows?" Yukari asked. Well, that was a problem at first, but what that girl told us next solved it very swiftly.

"Are you sure about that?" It asked, almost subtly hinting something, "Look again." We did so and saw an arrow of pure energy hovering there, waiting for her to pull back and shoot.

(What the- -?)

"Huh!? That arrow appeared on its own!"

"Can you fire it?" I asked curiously. Stuff of this nature was quite new to me at the time, and I found it intriguing. I found it a shame that Yukari didn't share my enthusiasm at first; she still looked shocked. Though at my urging, she grabbed the arrow and pulled it back, a string made of the same energy appeared with it. That answered Yukari's question of how she would fire it, but there was one thing that needed to be taken care of before she could test it.

"Junpei, you might wanna duck right now." I warned him, as he slowly realised where Yukari was aiming.

"AH!" He let out a yelp and placed his head between his knees as Yukari let go of the arrow, it moving at an extremely ridiculous speed, and ended up stuck deep in the wall behind it.

"Whoa, that is fast!" I didn't mean to say it out loud; it was just that I was really surprised by what happened.

"Testing it out in here wasn't exactly the best idea, guys." Junpei murmured, still having his head between his knees in fear.

"No no no, wait a second." I hushed him quickly as I noticed something. The arrow disappeared a few seconds later, leaving no visible damage at all.

"There's not even a hole there." I said, "It must have been designed to damage only living things, or Shadows."

"The weapons react to the wills of their masters." The girl explained to us, "No more will you be tied down by the whims of human made weaponry; these tools are built to endure for an eternity."

I began to feel around the Battle Cross as she said this, not really realising that I was doing so. The leather bindings felt rough, possibly from being centuries old but even I didn't know if that was fact or not. I then noticed something peculiar about the Cross.

(Wait, the top part… It's loose.)

I began to pull on the top, pointy part of the Battle Cross. And from it, a spiked chain came from within it. I didn't think it would be possible to put a chain in there, even though the Battle Cross was big and bulky, but somehow it was.

(Wow… This looks extremely sharp.)

"How long is this chain?" I asked the girl, wanting to know before I do anything else.

"As long as you need it to be."

I let go of the chain, letting it retract back into the Battle Cross on its own.

"I have given you the tools you need. The rest is up to you two." She got up and began to leave. When she had her handle on the door, I asked her this:

"Why did you give these weapons to Yukari and me specifically?"

It was something that bugged me since she told Yukari to open the box, and I hoped that I would get a straight answer. Unfortunately, this isn't a straightforward adventure story; I was a bit too hopeful that things would be that simple.

"Your fates are intertwined with one another. It has always been this way, ever since that day 13 years ago."

Yukari and I paled at those words, and looked at each other for a brief moment. Fast enough so that the others couldn't see it and then looked at the girl.

"You mean… You mean the day our parents died." I asked, trying to keep my emotions under check. Because it was becoming difficult not to lash out, even though I knew that was the dumbest of ideas.

"One died in an explosion, and the mother disappeared. Presumably, she died as well. The others died during a car accident on the very same day. A nice coincidence, don't you think?" She asked, but we gave no answer; we couldn't have. "One of the children is raised by her relatives in a comfortable life, but is troubled by the question of what truly happened. And the other, with only two relics of his former self and no recollection of his past, is shipped to a land far away and grew up in ignorance. It is the work of fate that led the two of you here."

I scoffed at that last sentence.

"Fate? What good has fate done anyone?" I retorted, "I'm in control of my destiny, nobody else!"

"…Is that so?" Her tone made me worry, perhaps I made a mistake in saying that, I thought to myself, but I waited for her full response, "Memories are a fickle thing. They can sometimes deceive you, and even cause you to forget who you truly are."

It was at this point that I stood up, and walked over to her. Battle Cross in hand, I didn't intend to strike her, but if the others were worried about it, they didn't say anything to show this. They didn't even move to stop me. She turned around to look me in the eye.

"I know exactly who I am." I growled. I was slowly starting to get really angry. Nothing she said to us that day made any sense to me, and that was the tip of the iceberg. Her response made me visibly tense up and recoil in shock, it was that blunt and direct in questioning my words.

"Are you sure?"

I could feel my confidence shatter, just like that. Shot down easily as one would squash an ant without noticing, it certainly felt like it. Everyone heard this exchange of words and, like me; they didn't know what to say.

"Have they told you everything? Before you left for the orphanage, they told you that necklace you always wear came from that incident, where someone saved you. Is that right?"

I was literally frozen in fear. I had no clue what she was going to say.

"And that ring is a memento from your mother. Did you ever question why she gave it to you to begin with?"

I reacted harshly to the mention of my mother. With the hand which I had my Battle Cross in, I punched the door, producing a loud sound that startled the majority of people in the room. She stood there, unfazed by my outburst.

"What's that got to do with anything!?"

"Have they ever told you where you got your name?"

I froze up again, my fist still on the door.

"You had no identity, no past, no future; so they gave you one. And how ironic of a name it is; considering the man who had that name originally is no longer with us… That's not quite right. What I mean is, he was never here to begin with."

(Wh…What is going on?)

"And factoring in one of your true Arcana's, I find it funny that name was chosen of all names."

"What are you talking about?" There was no anger in my tone, no malice. Only shock and disbelief.

"You'll understand eventually… Or perhaps you won't. It isn't my problem." She got a little too close for my liking, but I didn't think to stop her. My mind was still spinning from what had just happened. She moved in closer, one hand on my chest, the other on my cheek and whispered in my ear. It sent chills down my spine, and not in a good way.

"Who. Are. You? Ask yourself this before you continue on."

And then she walked out. It wasn't a grand spectacle, she just walked out. In my vulnerable state, I wasn't ready for what happened next.

*SMASH!*

"AGH!" I let out a cry of pain as the sound of smashing glass rang in my head. I ended up on one knee clutching my head.

"**The power to bring light to the world will be unlocked to you in time. Thou shalt be blessed when thou chooseth to wield the power of the Star Arcana."**

"Are you OK!? C'mon, please say something!" I could hear Yukari plead, her shaking my motionless body. What she said didn't really register with me though; I stared wide-eyed at the closed door, my shaky breathing filled the air.

"You have gotta be shitting me…" I said, my voice sounding as shaky as my breaths. I let Yukari help me to the seat, where I remained shell-shocked from the turn of events. Not only was I given a Social Link with that girl, but also my very identity was called into question. I was hopelessly confused.

"Say something, man…" Junpei said, sounding as panicked as Yukari was, "C'mon, don't shut down on us now!"

"Master, your mental health is deteriorating. You need to calm down!" Burroughs chimed in. Pixie appeared in front of me, looking absolutely worried sick.

"Are you alright…?" She asked, rubbing my cheek slowly.

"I… I need a drink." I let out as a breath. Akihiko immediately got off his seat and ran to the kitchen, bringing back a glass of water for me. I nodded my head in thanks as I raised the glass to my lips; my hands were shaking as I gulped half the glass in one sitting. I took deep breaths to try to regain control over myself but it was to no avail.

"I haven't seen you like this ever since we first met." Jun added, looking calm but I could tell she was as shocked as I was.

"…The Chairman needs to be informed of this. Akihiko, there's something I need to talk to you about." Mitsuru announced before she and Akihiko went upstairs. The front hall was dead silent. I didn't say anything; _couldn't_ say anything. Jun, Yukari and Junpei looked at me, probably wondering what to do, what to say. Not that it mattered, as I'd completely shut down emotionally… Almost. A few minutes had gone by and all that could be heard was my shaky breathing, but I gasped as I felt arms wrap around me.

"You were there for me when I needed you… Now it's my turn." Yukari said as she hugged me tightly, "We'll figure this out, I promise you. We're not going to leave you like this, not if I have a say in it." I let out a few choked sobs in response, before I buried my face into her shoulder. We stayed like that for a while; my shaking body and light sobs being the only sign that I was crying.

~Spring of Hope~

"It's good to see you again."

It was a while later, after we had gone to bed; Yukari having to help me reach mine. I had not gotten to sleep for a while, the only reason I managed to was because my body couldn't handle it. And now I was awoken again by that same cold, young, familiar voice.

"It seems that you've experienced quite a shock. I do hope you can keep yourself together." He said as I lifted myself to see him.

(Keeping it together… I just got told my life could be a complete lie, it's not an over-reaction.)

"I sincerely hope so, because a new ordeal is coming." He warned me, "It will appear on the night of the Full Moon."

"The Full Moon?" I questioned lifelessly.

"Yes, you must prepare for the ordeal, but time is of the essence." He flashed a small smile at me, "I'm sure you're aware of that, of course." He did his little teleporting trick and appeared once more in front of my TV, "I'll come see you again when this is over. Goodbye for now."

And like that, he was gone. I laid back into my pillow and stared at the ceiling. I could feel a familiar presence lying beside me; I didn't need to turn my head to know who it was.

"Are you feeling OK now?" Pixie asked, shifting closer to me. I continued to stare at the ceiling blankly, until I gave my answer. A simple one word answer, but it said more than any picture could.

"…No."

* * *

Author's Note: Ah, much better. I'm more happy with this chapter than the previous one. Just goes to show what a little drama can do. I will say this up front: I tend to like dark stories, and I mean dark. So expect some drama in the future, with a hint of comedy here and there; can't have it be too depressing now, can we?


	11. Chapter 10: Memories

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES – Spring of Hope

Author's Note: So… That just happened. This will be a calm chapter, not much action or drama or anything like that. I'm instead going to focus on character building, and how the others reacted to the possibility that our main character is not who they think he is.

* * *

Chapter 10: Memories

"NO!" I, in a panic, looked around my room when I awoke from my uneasy slumber. I was afraid that something may have happened, even though I knew that everyone was safe.

(Nightmares… Again… Why do you torment me so?)

"Are you alright?" I heard the mechanical voice of Bladewolf ask me. He asked that he stay with me in my room, for what reason he did not tell me.

"Yeah. Just some nightmares." I told him, and then patted him on the head, "Good boy." He reacted to that rather pleasantly, or what I could assume was pleasantly.

"I was concerned. Your body has given off strange readings throughout the night, and you talked in your sleep. You mentioned something about your mother."

I stayed silent. I hadn't had nightmares for a long time before that night; when I was vulnerable and doubting myself. Though it wasn't a single event like before, it was a disjointed series of images that I couldn't describe; whether it was images of my past or my future or just horrific scenarios that my mind conjured up, I didn't know yet. With a heavy sigh, I got up and walked over to the mirror on my wall. Sometimes, when I look into a mirror, I don't see myself. Instead, I see the image of a different man reflected upon it; it had my voice, copied my every movement but I didn't recognise him. That was one of those times. This man, with his messy hair, lifeless eyes and pale complexion looked back at me. Was he me or was he someone else entirely? Before, I could tell the difference, but at that moment… I wasn't sure.

(Who are you?)

I wouldn't be asking myself this if I was confident in my own memories, but I knew that I wasn't. Ever since that day on the bridge, there was this giant gap in my memory: Where my life was a complete blur. Once I was brought to the orphanage, they told me my name and left me there. I didn't think to doubt them, because I had no reason to. Now though; with this girl telling me that I should think upon that very question, I had every reason to. Why did I believe her? Probably because some part of my mind knew that I wasn't told everything about myself. The only things I knew were fact were my age, birthday, my time with Jun and everything that happened before the day that girl arrived at the dorm. And then there was the issue of my connection with Yukari.

(Have I met her before all this?)

She was as much in the dark as I was. She didn't show any signs of recognising me, and I had no memory of meeting her before the night I first came to the dorm. I suspected though that I had indeed had some form of contact with her; that girl's words echoed in my mind. The ones about our fates being intertwined. I was never a big believer of fate; I believed every man should be in control of their own path. If what she said was true… I didn't know what to think. I pushed that issue to the back of my mind for the moment, dwelling on it would only bring me pain in the long run, I realised. I looked back on the table; the Battle Cross that I received was on it, along with gauntlets. The two tools that I was given to help me on my journey. I walked over to them and, using my fingers, traced along the bindings of the Cross, the Cross was bigger than my hand but it did feel comfortable holding it, and using it was just as satisfying as I would find out. I grabbed it and exited my room, walking downstairs to the main hall where I would find Mitsuru sitting by herself, drinking some tea.

"It's good to see you awake." She said once she spotted me. I gave a half-assed wave and then plopped down onto the seat opposite her, placing the Battle Cross onto the desk. I didn't feel safe without some form of weapon nearby and I saw that Mitsuru knew this. "How are you feeling?"

I didn't answer. I had no answer. It was impossible for me to know what I was feeling because I was a total mess.

"…Will you be OK on your own?" She asked me next. Seeing her so calm and collected reminded me that she and Akihiko had a talk the previous night. What was that they spoke about? Was it the girl? Was it about me? It wasn't any of my business, so I cleared my mind of those thoughts.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." I answered her, scrapping up what little emotion I could muster, "I can take care of myself."

"…Alright." She drank the rest of her tea and stood up, grabbing her jacket along the way and stopped at the door, "Try to relax today. Iori and Takeba will be back soon." She exited the dorm, leaving me alone in the silence that followed.

~Spring of Hope~

It had been at least half an hour since Mitsuru left. I kept myself occupied by practicing using the Battle Cross on the roof of the dorm. It was designed to be used as a kind of whip, but it was far more effective and easier to control. I sensed some powerful magical force within the Cross, and it wasn't until I examined the chain that I discovered something. Each link in the chain was doused in holy water. That girl said that the Battle Cross was rightfully mine. Who did it belong to beforehand? Did it belong to an ancestor of mine? Or was it someone in my more immediate family? I didn't know, but it felt natural using it. And when was I able to sense this kind of energy? Was I always able to sense it? Or was it when I summoned my Persona that I gained this ability? So many questions ran through my mind, and no answers to satisfy me existed.

I focused on the area in front of me and swung the Cross; the chain reaching out and striking the air. I then spun my body around, the chain following my path and covering a huge distance around me; it would strike anything, friend or foe. I brought myself into the air and struck the enemy I imagined in my mind's eye with some powerful strikes and then brought it down into the ground with a deep grunt, the dust jumped up around me, the chain reaching several feet in front of me. I let out some heavy breaths, and drew the spiked chain back into the Cross, it scratching along the floor as I do so.

"I thought I would I find you up here."

I turned around and saw a sight for sore eyes.

"Yukari…"

She walked over to me. I couldn't tell what she was thinking.

"I was just blowing off steam." I explained, gripping the Cross tightly in my hand.

"And do you feel any better?"

"…Not really." I made the stake appear from the bottom of the Battle Cross, metallic and waiting to be used, "Maybe when I drive this deep into the mask of a Shadow, I might."

I brought the stake back in and looked at Yukari. Eyes are often said to be the gateway to one's emotions, and from the look of her eyes, I could tell she was worried for me. I had never been this confused or angry before, so it must have been terrifying to look at, but I was past the point of caring about that.

"You need a break." She said suddenly, catching me by surprise, "Have you had anything to eat?"

As if responding to her question, my stomach began to growl in protest.

"I guess I could use something to eat." I admitted, "Breakfast sounds really nice at the moment."

"Do you even know what time it is?"

"Huh?"

She let me look at her watch and the time was 12:30 in the afternoon. I had not realised how long I stayed there, just swinging that iron crucifix around. Without waiting for me to say anything, she grabbed me by the arm and dragged me through the fire escape door, back to the inner walls of the dormitory.

~Spring of Hope~

We sat at the dining table as we had something to eat. It wasn't until I saw the delicious food in front of me that I realised how hungry I was. Working out anger tends to leave one famished, I had learned. I quickly went through the pot of noodles while Yukari ate hers at a smoother pace. I wasn't sure what to talk about, how could I face the others after what happened? I was truly terrified at what I would have to say to them. Once we had our sustenance, we sat there, completely silent.

"I… know that last night was pretty rough." She started, "You doing OK?"

I let out a sigh.

"I don't know." I responded, "I just don't know. When I was told that I would have mysteries to confront, I would have never guessed that included myself."

Yukari stayed silent as I said this.

"And now, the nightmares have reappeared… I'm afraid. They torment me with the sounds of death and everything falling apart at the seams. I feel like I'm starting to lose my mind, Yukari… What am I supposed to do? I don't even know who I am!" I said, my tone growing more desperate as I spoke. Yukari was quiet throughout my entire speech. I held my head in my hands as vivid images of what happened in my dreams flashed through my mind.

What that girl said completely shattered my mental defences and left these barrages completely unopposed. I wouldn't have reacted that badly if I knew for certain that she was lying, but for the moment, I didn't know. Words are a powerful tool; the use of the right words at the right place at the right time can give people hope, drive them to the brink of despair or send them careening over the edge and into the depths of insanity. I came to understand this power over the year, and my first lesson in this was what Yukari said in response. She got off her seat, walked around the table and sat beside me.

"So why not choose a new name?"

"What?" I asked, dumbfounded at that. It wasn't something one would hear in a normal conversation, but we were anything but normal.

"A name's a name." She explained, "It's not the name that makes a person who they are. It's the person behind the name. I don't care that the name they gave you isn't the right one. You are a kind man who tries his best to help others, even though you may not know what's going on sometimes. You're kind of goofy but that's because you love to see people smile. That is who you are."

I stared at her blankly for a moment before letting out a sorrowful chuckle.

"Is that right…? You think it's really that simple? To just give myself a new name?"

"Why not?" She asked in return, flashing that bright smile that she only reserves for certain people, I had gathered, "And when the time comes that you discover your true identity, whatever it may be, we'll be behind you all the way."

"…You're very philosophical, Yukari." I point out, "I never expected that out of you."

"Well, I don't normally indulge in this kind of thing." She responded. I thought about what she said, about giving myself a new identity and how names don't matter as long as the person was good hearted. I slowly found myself agreeing with her, and smiled for the first time since the incident.

"You're right… I was never any good at thinking up names though." I said, taking on a more joyful tone.

"Just list off names you like."

I thought hard on it and just spouted the first names that came to mind, and there were quite a couple, contrary to what I said.

"Um… Kirito, Kazuya, Aleph, Naoki, Flynn, Leon, Christopher, Simon, Juste, Richter." I began saying names that I liked the sound of, "Wow, there are a lot of names I like: Adrian, Soma, Gabriel, Tatsuya, Minato, Makoto."

"Whoa, that's a lot!" Yukari sounded impressed with the list, "Guess that _never good at thinking up names _was just BS, huh?"

"It would seem so." I chuckled.

"Though, some of them sound strange, like _Aleph_." She pointed out.

"I don't know; there's something about that name I like." I placed my fist on my chin, "It sounds really familiar for some reason… The meaning of it perhaps? At least I think there's a meaning…"

"Hmm… What about Gabriel?" She asked next, "It sounds like a girl's name."

"Oi, it could be a guy's name too!"

We continued arguing over the various names I spouted off, laughing and having a good time. Yukari had successfully managed to save me once again. Me being an emotional wreck is not a pretty sight if I end up like that for an extended period of time; I tend to get really moody and emo-like. It's not really that fun, it's actually really boring to be around me when I'm like that, and boring me isn't fun for the others or for you, so yeah. I suddenly remembered what Mitsuru told me before she left.

"Oh yeah, where's Junpei? I thought he was with you." I asked, and from her reaction, I could tell they were up to something.

"He's out getting something, he'll be back soon. In fact…" She checked her watch, "He should be coming in right about… Now."

The sound of four knocks on the door reached my ears. I stared at Yukari incredulously, who smiled back mischievously.

"…No way." I said, "There's no way you didn't plan that." I accused as I got up from the seat, "No way you didn't plan that! There's no way!" I walked over to the door and opened it up.

"You have GOT to be kidding…"

~Spring of Hope~

A lesson I had forgotten from that day until that mess after December is _**Never underestimate Yukari**_. Apparently, after I went to bed, Jun planned with Yukari and Junpei to come over for a day of fun; just to cheer me up. And that surprise with the door was Yukari's idea from what I was told. I gotta hand it to them, I did not expect that. We spent some time watching some 80's movies that I enjoyed when I was a kid, like Superman 2. _"Kneel before Zod!"_ became a bit of a running joke between Junpei and I, and Yukari made fun of us for being hammier than Zod… Which I didn't really think was possible.

And then Burroughs revealed how she could emulate nearly every game console and had records of thousands upon thousands of games in her memory… Just how much memory does she have!? It seriously drove me nuts thinking about it! Mitsuru wouldn't tell me, Stephen wouldn't tell me, even Burroughs wouldn't tell me… Ah, whatever. It's not really that important.

I had her load up Akumajo Dracula for the Super Famicom. An old favourite of mine, I remember playing it with Jun a lot while growing up. What I didn't expect was that Yukari would recognise it.

"I know that game." She said suddenly, "I remember seeing it a lot when I was a kid."

"I'm kinda surprised." I responded, sounding a little shocked, "I mean, the series is popular, but it ain't Kingdom Hearts level of popular. I didn't even peg you to be into gaming."

"Not really." She told me, "I remember seeing someone else play it."

"Friend of yours?"

"Maybe… Can't really remember much though."

We all took turns playing it; swapping over when someone cleared a stage or unceremoniously died… Which happened quite a bit, much to my everlasting shame. When we reached the confines of the Dark Lord's castle, and entered the Library, I could feel Yukari get closer to me when the ghosts showed up. It seemed like she was scared of them.

(Is she…? Nah, it's a bit silly to think that.)

I watched the screen as Jun expertly jumped from floating book to floating book, until an ill-timed projectile sent her flying back into a bottomless pit.

"Damn it, I don't remember it being this difficult." She said through clenched teeth, I could feel her anger from where I sat. I laughed at her mis-fortune as she passed the controller over to Junpei. There are only two things I'm aware of that would make her angry. Ridiculously hard games (coughBattletoadscough) and threatening her students. The second one is an especially quick way to get onto her shit list; as some poor unfortunate soul found out later on. Junpei got as far as Jun did, and then died to the same projectile.

"Man, how did you get this far as a kid?" Junpei asked, probably not used to the difficulty curve of that series.

"Practice." I said casually, "Though I admit I haven't played it in over 5 years so I'm probably pretty rusty."

He passed the controller over to Yukari who was surprisingly competent at it, despite claiming that she's not into gaming that much. Perhaps those memories of watching it allowed her to memorize where all the major traps were.

"Careful…" I warned her as she got to the part where the others failed. She learned from their mistakes and managed to clear the projectile and continue on with the stage. With a slight grin pointed in Junpei's direction, she passed the controller to me once she defeated the boss. This continued on for a while, laughing at each other's failures and cheering at our successes, and you know what… It was really fun. I had forgotten how fun it is to goof off with other people. If their goal was to cheer me up completely, I would say mission accomplished.

We managed to reach the final stage of the game, and it was Junpei's turn. I had to contain my laughter because he had no idea what was coming up. He managed to get through the first two screens okay, but once he got to the third area…

"Wait, is that thing chasing me!?" He panicked upon seeing the spiked wheel coming after him and immediately fell into a pit.

"HAHA!" I let out a loud roar of laughter, "I knew that would trip you up!"

"Why didn't you warn me about this!?" He asked. He was furious; it was hysterical to look at. So much so that Yukari and Jun started laughing along with me.

"Because I didn't want to." I answered with the biggest shit eating grin imaginable. With a death glare sent in my direction, he handed the controller to me. I cleared the stage with minimal effort; some things are so prevalent in your memory you can call upon that knowledge at any time. That was one such instance. And now, I got the boss gauntlet to deal with.

"Oh, by the way. Three bosses, no checkpoints." I warned them, "If I die, you'll have to fight all three."

"Kinda figured that." Jun groaned, she had entirely forgotten about that little factoid, "It's Berrigan, Gyaibon and Death, isn't it?"

"Yup." I said as I walked to the first boss, "And Death's my worst one, so… Be prepared."

I worked through the gauntlet, the frantic music repeating itself throughout the battle. Berrigan and Gyaibon I had no troubles with, Death though… Oh boy. One thing this Death and the other one have in common is that they are both tough as balls to take down. I didn't have much use for the sub-weapons, so I tried to take him down with the standard weapon we got at the start. After a tense battle, I managed to defeat Death, which isn't something you hear every day. I started to get concerned after realising a very, very, crucial fact.

"Crap, I don't remember how to fight Dracula." I whispered under my breath, as I climbed the stairs to the Dark Lord's lair. Nobody heard me though. I tried to rely on muscle memory to fight him but a poorly timed jump sent me to my doom via fireballs.

"Damn…" I passed the controller to Yukari. I then remembered a secret of the game, one that could have made things a hell of a lot easier.

(I'm an idiot!)

As the game loaded up, I leaned over to Yukari and whispered something in her ear. She looked at me, confused about why I would ask her to do that.

"Trust me." I simply said, smiling at her. She nodded after a few seconds and when she regained control, she jumped past the stairs and landed safely on an invisible platform. A second later, she received 99 hearts, a cross and triple shot and a full health restore. To say that Junpei and Jun were shocked would be an understatement.

"What the- -!? Why didn't you do that before!?" Junpei asked me. I rubbed the back of my head in embarrassment.

"I completely forgot, to be honest. I just remembered it."

I wanted to give Yukari a fighting chance and all those items: Breaks the game if you knew what you were doing. Using those items, she fought brilliantly against the final boss, bringing him to down to half health as fast as I did. To make a long (and epic) fight short… She won. She succeeded where I failed. I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride go through me as I watched the credits roll, knowing that the least experienced out of us was the one to deliver the last blow. I smiled and relaxed into the couch, something that the others took note of.

"You look a lot happier than before." Jun said, "I guess that means our plan had worked."

"Yup." I replied, "A name's a name. It doesn't matter _what_ my name is, it's the person behind it that matters." I repeated Yukari's words to them. "I still can't help but wonder what my true name is… If I did have one."

"…Does it matter in the end? You're pretty cool guy either way, who gives a crap about the name? If you find out what it is, great. If not, at least you have a choice what your name will be." Junpei asked, showing a great deal of insight. I turned to look at Jun who was thinking intensely.

"And you? What do you think?" I asked.

"…You're right about one thing." She started, "It is the person within that matters. I love you; I raised you, I've given you weapons, taught you techniques, endowed you with knowledge. And you're using that knowledge to better the world. That's all I can ever ask for. You may not be blood, but I consider you a son of mine regardless." She reached over and rubbed my head, messing up my hair. "And even though I may not know your real name, I'll always recognise you as that boy who came to me all those years ago."

She smiled at me. I returned that smile and looked up at the ceiling.

"…I'll decide on the name later. For now, I'm happy with how things are."

~Spring of Hope~

It was close to midnight and I was pacing around my room. Pixie was on my shoulder, thinking about this with me. She seems to appear whenever she pleases or when I ask for her to show up. I stopped in front of my desk, an empty book sat on the desk, waiting for it to be filled with words. I looked at Pixie and nodded. She nodded as well. I pulled back the chair, sat down, opened the book and grabbed a pencil. After The Dark Hour began, I started writing on the first page:

_I suppose you can call this my first journal entry. Mitsuru gave this book to me and said I can use it to chronicle any future memories I have here. And also, it would provide an outlet. An outlet for what? She seems to know something that I don't, and it bugs me. I don't think it's any of my business so I won't bother her with it. Today was fun, we played games and watched movies all day and I forgot all about what happened last night. Yukari… I don't know why, but I felt a sense of familiarity with her. This isn't the first time I felt that something was familiar with her. Have I met her before? It's true that I've been to Iwatodai several times before that incident on the bridge… At least, that's what I was told, but I have no memory of meeting her. And she didn't recognise me. But still… Is it possible? That girl seems to think so, calling our meeting 'the work of fate'. Regardless of the circumstances, I'm glad I've met her. She saved me, both literally and figuratively, several times now and I'm not sure if I could ever repay her. Though today's events proved a nice distraction, now I must focus on the real trouble at hand: The appearance of this so-called 'ordeal' that the kid mentioned on the day of the Full Moon. A powerful Shadow obviously._

_Even though I'm no longer in the emotional state that I was in, I can feel that anger swelling up inside me still… If I can't be rid of it, I will instead channel it, embrace it; use it against the Shadows. I swear it: No harm will come to her. She's done enough for me. And I won't let her go through the pain that I have. The Shadows will see what happens when they cross me. I know they're intelligent; they will learn fear as they look me in the eyes. They will taste the bitterness of defeat as their life force spills onto the ground before them. From this point onward, I am no longer holding back._

* * *

Author's Note: You can consider this a little 'side-chapter' before the main event: The Priestess Full Moon event, which is coming up soon. Fun fact: Every single name that our hero listed off is a reference to something. I will be amazed if any of you get them all, and no using Google! That would be cheating. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this little side-adventure and I'll see you for the next one. Have a good day.


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